09001 SMC courier SP09 v5.indd

Transcription

Spring 2009
The Liberal Arts:
A Life Extraordinary
Volume 84, Number 1
Spring 2009
tableof contents
imagine
The Saint Mary’s College Courier (USPS
135-340) is published four times a year
by Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame,
IN 46556-5001. Periodicals postage
paid at the Post Office at Notre Dame,
IN 46556 and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Alumnae Relations, Saint
Mary’s College, 110 Le Mans Hall,
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001.
a strong global economy
Copyright 2008 Saint Mary’s College,
Notre Dame, IN 46556.
Reproduction in whole or part is
prohibited without written permission.
The opinions expressed are those of
the authors or their subjects and are
not necessarily shared by the College
or the editor.
Clare Heintz ’09 has already helped make it possible
and she’s just getting started.
Shari Rodriguez
Vice President for College Relations
srodriguez@saintmarys.edu
Page 10
Page 18
as a first-year
Joined the Agribusiness Development
Group (ADG), a student group committed
to bringing economic growth to Ghana
features
4
as a sophomore
The Market Value of a
Liberal Arts Education
In an ever-changing economy,
liberal arts degrees give alumnae the
flexibility and creativity they need
to follow their career paths and their
dreams.
Wrote an innovative business plan for
ADG to enter the dried fruit market
as a junior
7
Developed a Web site for marketing dried
fruit to potential investors and buyers
Dr. Mary Anne Luzar ’72 takes liberal
arts degree to Washington and
beyond.
16 Invite More Creativity
Into Your Life
Art Professor Krista Hoefle offers
advice on how to bring creativity into
your life.
Stepping Out
Fiction writing class lets students
explore other lives in novella.
as a senior
departments
10 In the Stacks with
Alumnae Authors
Led ADG in creating packaging and purchasing
equipment to support production in Ghana this year
Alumnae literati who got their start at
Saint Mary’s.
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12 Something to Write
Home About
Courier interns ask Lisa Maxbauer
Price for real-world advice.
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On the cover:
2
Inside Saint Mary’s
15
Belles Athletics
17
Avenue News
20
For the Record
22
Club News
24
Class News
26
Excelsior
Right to left: Jessica Huang ’09, Lisa Maxbauer Price
’99, Kristen Edelen ’09
Photo by Jason Jones
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Corrections to the Winter 2008 Issue of Courier:
you make education possible for our students.
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14 Best of Both Worlds
p. 16: In the Alumnae Memorial Scholarship Honor Roll, the Chicago Advisory Council gift was erroneously listed as being
made in memory of Karla Schultz Goodyear. It was in memory of Karla Diane Wilson.
The Annual Fund
p. 15: In the picture caption of the Class of 1948, Mary Ellen Danielson DeNucci (holding the sign in the bottom row) was
misidentified as Alice Simons Chermak.
p. 12: The feature “Part of a Community After You Leave,” did not mention that Martha Hottenstein served as chair of her 2005
Senior Gift Campaign in addition to Ashley Thornburg and Kim Holly Maher.
Karen Zagrocki McDonald ’76
Acting Assistant Vice President
Integrated Marketing Communications
kmcdonal@saintmarys.edu
Courier Staff:
Scot Erin Briggs
Editor
sbriggs@saintmarys.edu
Natalie Davis Miller
Staff Writer
Shannon E. Brewer ’03
Staff Writer
Joya Helmuth
Graphic Designer
Matt Cashore
Janet Graham
Jason Jones
Zara Osterman
Photographers
Letters:
Send letters to the editor to:
Courier Editor
Saint Mary’s College
303 Haggar College Center
Notre Dame, IN 46556
or e-mail courier@saintmarys.edu
Class News:
Send alumnae class news to:
Alumnae News Editor
110 Le Mans Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001
or e-mail alumnae@saintmarys.edu
Alumnae Association Staff:
Kara O’Leary ’89
Director of Alumnae Relations
koleary@saintmarys.edu
Jessica Stuifbergen ’99
Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations
jstuifbe@saintmarys.edu
The Mission
Saint Mary’s College is a Catholic,
residential, women’s college in the
liberal arts tradition. A pioneer in the
education of women, the College is an
academic community where women
develop their talents and prepare to
make a difference in the world.
Founded by the Sisters of the Holy
Cross in 1844, Saint Mary’s promotes
a life of intellectual vigor, aesthetic
appreciation, religious sensibility, and
social responsibility. All members of
the College remain faithful to this
mission and continually assess their
response to the complex needs and
challenges of the contemporary world.
The Alumnae Association
Board of Directors
insidesaintmary’s
Honorary President
Carol Ann Mooney ’72
President
Marilyn Wolter
Elizabeth
Bermingham
Laboe ’61
Lacy ’66
505 Welwyn
360
East Hurd
Road
Road
Monroe, MI VA
Richmond,
48162
23229-8105
(734) 741-5301
(804)
243-3345 • elacy@courts.state.va.us
mcl39@chartermi.net
Vice President
HollyMaxbauer
Lisa
Rieger Curley
Price’80
’99
63 Sealund
23263
MoraRoad
Glen Drive
Los Altos
Quincy,
MAHills,
02171
CA 94024
(650) 518-4345
(917)
948-8598 • lisamaxbauer@yahoo.com
Smchrc80@aol.com
Secretary
Judy Mardoian
Mary
Sue Dunn Gavoor
Curry ’85
’76
Some Musings After One Year at Saint Mary’s...
5434 Flowering
1030
Sir WilliamDogwood
Lane
Lane
Lake Forest,
Charlotte,
NCIL28270-3729
60045
(847) 814-7967
(704)
235-2759 • MSCurry@carolina.rr.com
jgavoor@gmail.com
By Vice President and Dean of Faculty Patricia Ann Fleming
Directors
Sheila Conlin Brown ’56
A version of this essay was delivered by the Vice
President and Dean of Faculty at the beginning of her
second year at Saint Mary’s College at College Forum.
7251 2390 East Street
Princeton, IL 61356
(815) 659-3040 • sbrown@theramp.net
Jill Moore Clouse ’99
3202 North Paulina Street, 2S
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 348-2124 • jillclouse@yahoo.com
Mary Barry
Nora
Sue Dunn
Fischer
Curry
’73’85
U.S. Post
5434
Flowering
Office Dogwood
and Courthouse
Lane
Charlotte,
700
Grant NC
Street,
28270-3729
Suite 5260
(704) 814-7967
Pittsburgh,
PA 15219
• MSCurry@carolina.rr.com
Nora Barry
Linda
Kawecki
Fischer
’79 ’73
6948Post
U.S.
Lakeshore
Office and
Drive
Courthouse
700 Grant
Dallas,
TX 75214-3550
Street, Suite 5260
Pittsburgh,
(214)
327-9355
PA 15219
• linda_kawecki@sbcglobal.net
Sara Bateman Koehler ’70
944 Spannwood Road
Indianapolis, IN 46228
(317) 253-4494 • skkoehler@sbcglobal.net
ElizabethFranks
LeeAnn
Bermingham
McConnell
Lacy
’85
’66
1006Welwyn
505
Eastland
Road
Drive
Richmond,
Sturgis,
MI VA
49091
23229-8105
(804) 651-9955
(269)
741-5301 • lafmcconnell@yahoo.com
elacy@courts.state.va.us
LeeAnn Franks
Kathryn
Wiedl Mettler,
McConnell
M.D.’85
’63
715 Registry
1006
EastlandLane
Drive
NE
Sturgis, GA
Atlanta,
MI 49091
30342-2865
(269) 262-7454
(404)
651-9955 • smettler@bellsouth.net
lafmcconnell@yahoo.com
Karen Zagrocki
Adriana
Garces McDonald
Petty ’01 ’76
1615Box
P.O.
Altgeld
87 Street
Union Pier,
South
Bend,MIIN49129
46614
(269) 514-3237
(574)
469-9625 • apetty@saintmarys.edu
kmcdonal@saintmarys.edu
Adriana
Dawn
Parker
Garces
Santamaria
Petty ’01 ’81
2 Gravel
1615
Altgeld
Hill Road
Street
South Bend,
Asbury,
NJ 08802-1347
IN 46614
(574) 735-6716
(908)
514-3237 • dawn@tallshipunicorn.com
adriana.petty@gmail.com
Lisa Maxbauer
Susan
M. SuchyPrice
’89 ’99
9225Towers
Post
South Clifton Park Avenue
75 West Street,
Evergreen
Park, Apt
IL 60805-1508
2B
New York,
(708)
636-5915
NY 10006-1791
• smsuchy@sbcglobal.net
(917) 518-4345 • lisamaxbauer@yahoo.com
Kimmi Martin Troy ’00
14644 Stonington
Susan
M. Suchy
Court
’89
Granger,
9225
South
IN 46530
Clifton Park Avenue
Evergreen
(574)
271-8588
Park, IL
• ktroy52502@gmail.com
60805-1508
(708) 636-5915 • smsuchy@sbcglobal.net
Barbara Wolfston Urrutia ’74
Kimmi
423
BarkMartin
Drive
Troy ’00
Redwood
936
CurrieCity,
Place
CA 94065-1101
Wauwatosa,
(650)
593-4958
WI 53213
• barbara.d.wolfston@questdiagnostics.com
(414) 771-0306 • ktroy52502@gmail.com
Phyllis Sullivan Van Hersett ’62
10507 Jaguar
Phyllis
Sullivan
Drive Van Hersett ’62
Littleton,Jaguar
10507
CO 80124
Drive
Littleton,
(303)
790-9265
CO 80124
• pvanhersett@hotmail.com
(303) 790-9265 • pvanhersett@hotmail.com
Abby Van Vlerah ’04
1560 Lane
Abby
Van110
Vlerah
West Otter
’04 Lake
Angola,
303
EastINLaSalle,
46703 Apt. 112B
South 399-0652
(307)
Bend, IN 46617
• vanvleraha@trine.edu
(307) 399-0652 • avanvler@saintmarys.edu
Rebecca Votto ’93
Apt. C, 930 W.
Rebecca
Votto
Balboa
’93
Boulevard
Newport
Apt.
C, 930
Beach,
W. Balboa
CA 92661
Boulevard
Newport
(310)
597-9210
Beach, CA
• rebeccavotto@yahoo.com
92661
(310) 597-9210 • rebeccavotto@yahoo.com
Karen McNamara Weaver ’91
513 Southwest
Karen
McNamara
Gentry Lane
Weaver ’91
LeesSouthwest
513
Summit, MO
Gentry
64081
Lane
Lees Summit,
(816)
761-4374
MO• 64081
kedweav@aol.com
(816) 761-4374 • kedweav@aol.com
2
COURIER | Spring
| Spring
2009 2008
My tenure at Saint Mary’s has been one of
substantial challenges. Substance, as a concept,
fascinates philosophers. Plato dismisses substance
as insignificant. Our substantial existence, he tells us,
can get in the way of knowing truth. When discussing
substance, Aristotle distinguishes between the
accidental and the essential and challenges us to be
able to identify the difference; John Locke argues
that, while he cannot point to substance, substance
nevertheless exists, for it is that within which qualities
adhere. Jean Paul Sartre effectively challenges our
views of substance, not so much as to say there is no
substance as to help us to see that what is essential
about substance comes into being through existence
or living. Essence, so important to Aristotle and then
Aquinas, he argues, does not precede existence. Postmodernism and the work of philosophers like Derrida
suggest that substance, and the notion of essence or
center that accompanies it, is far less significant than
its marginal features. We should look to the margins to find realities, as any claimed substantial
reality focusing on the center fools us.
I mention this little bit of philosophy about substance so that I might also share with you
how one might, after encountering new substantial realities, view or appropriate them. If I
were a Platonist, I would dismiss my experiences this last year at Saint Mary’s as insignificant,
believing instead that I could never really know who and what Saint Mary’s is by more
experiences or encounters with its faculty, staff, students, and administrators. I should, instead,
stay in my office and reflect and meditate on the ideal form or state that Saint Mary’s could
have been or might have become. Were I to venture out of the office, all I encounter would
fall from grace of the idealized view I had struggled to know in a Platonic recollection. If I
were Aristotelian, leaving my office and experiencing the realities of Saint Mary’s would be of
primary importance as knowledge and truth about Saint Mary’s comes from encounters and
experience; but I would be challenged as well to distinguish the essence of Saint Mary’s from its
accidental features.
I might be in search of all and only those features, uncovered by my experiences that
are unique to Saint Mary’s College. I experience this Aristotelian approach often when
someone asks me to identify what makes a Saint Mary’s woman unique. That is actually an
extraordinarily challenge…to define these qualities. John Locke would agree that these qualities
exist. Regardless of any ability to see the underlying substance of a Saint Mary’s student, or
faculty, staff, or administrator, he would still say we can identify their primary qualities. (Locke
was, of course, quite influenced by Aristotle.) If I were an existentialist, like Sartre, my approach
might be a bit more humble, thinking that over time as I exist here at Saint Mary’s I would
encounter the real Saint Mary’s and even then, (reminded of his famous phrase “We are what
we are not and we are not what we are”) I should always be careful not to assume I’ve captured
once and for all Saint Mary’s essence. And, finally, were I a post-modern, I would look in the
margins to find Saint Mary’s. I would not assume that I could or should ever be able to truly
know Saint Mary’s by searching for its center or its heart; for the significant aspects of Saint
Mary’s would be found in the places where maybe nobody is looking.
Well, by now you know, if you didn’t already, that you have a philosopher for a vice president
and dean! So, you might be asking yourself—which of these views of substance does Patricia
adopt? (Or, of course, you could be reading this thinking philosophy is pretty strange stuff!)
Let me tell you this. I tend to think that there is truth in all these ideas, although some are
more incomplete or partial than others. My challenge is to hold them in a productive tension
so that I might be able to understand and experience Saint Mary’s both more totally and more
innovatively at the same time. My husband, who is a potter, reminds me of the importance
of substance since he works with clay. One of the first things he does before throwing a pot
is to center the clay. He cannot proceed without this centering process. But as he throws the
clay, he opens this center, pushing toward boundaries to form a work of art. That work might
exceed what we normally think of as boundaries and move into an unfamiliar shape but the
pot, whether it is classic or post-modern, retains integrity through the productive tensions kept
intact by artist working with the clay.
This is the same for Saint Mary’s. I have seen and experienced Saint Mary’s this last year as
a Platonist, when I have sat in my office working with ideals for what I hope for this college; I
have tried as well to identify its essence and explain this to parents and persons considering
Saint Mary’s and relatives wanting to know what Saint Mary’s is like, knowing full well that
describing the beautiful campus is more like speaking of the accidental rather than its essential
qualities…and yet the minute I do that, I am reminded that this beautiful campus may indeed
be one of the essential reasons why Saint Mary’s is what it is; and yet, once I begin talking about
its fine faculty, its supportive staff, and its confident and articulate students, I am immediately
drawn to the Sartrian moment of knowing that it exceeds all these definitions and may not be
what I think it is and may, in fact, be what I think it is not…and so I go looking in the places no
one is looking to find possibilities for its future.
Frankly, it’s not so easy for me to give you a list of all the things I now know about Saint
Mary’s after being here for almost two years. That would be a rather flat and probably
uninteresting exercise. What I’ve shared instead is how important I think it is to keep all the
things I have learned in productive tension with each other. I am of the belief that, as we
move toward the future, it is out of the tension between the past and present, the faculty and
administration, the students and their teachers, learning outcomes and mandatory courses,
Catholics and non-Catholics, its women and its men, its old buildings and its brand new
ones, between its seasoned, senior faculty and its new, freshly-minted pre-tenure faculty, its
professional programs and its traditional liberal arts degrees, that out of all these tensions, new
possibilities for Saint Mary’s College are emerging onto our horizon. (Even at this printing of
the Courier we are responding productively to another tension, i.e., the financial stress put on
our nation due to recent economic events.) I am very proud of the way in which our faculty,
their department Chairs, and our academic administrators proactively and creatively meet the
challenges presented to us by these productive tensions that we all face.
the
Market Value of a Liberal Arts Education
By Scot Erin Briggs
Einstein said a liberal arts college education trains “the
mind to think something that cannot be learned from
textbooks.” This is a maxim Saint Mary’s alumnae take to
heart and put into practice. Courier caught up with four
alumnae recently—a wordsmith for number crunchers, a
policy planner/philanthropist/artist, a world traveler, and a
market guru—to ask them about their lives and
their careers, to see where their liberal arts backgrounds
had taken them.
Katy Karr ’06
Wordsmith
Katy Karr graduated summa cum laude from Saint Mary’s
with a double major in humanistic studies and English
literature. After taking a literature/philosophy tandem course
her first semester, and an introductory humanistic studies
course her second semester, Karr was hooked.
“I was instantly addicted to the subject matter and the
unique outline of each course of study,” says Karr. “I really
wanted to study what I loved and, as I loved both, I could not
bring myself to choose between the two.”
Karr now works for Bank of America as a communications
assistant. Karr’s addiction to the world of abstract ideas
resulted in a very practical skill set, one that made her
confident about going toe-to-toe with applicants from leftbrain fields. “Literature and humanistic studies helped me
to develop a sound set of communications skills,” says Karr.
“Writing, presentation, articulation, and critical thinking…I
felt very confident that I could successfully portray and
promote these skills in any interview and have an edge over
candidates with business degrees.”
The diverse interests that motivated Karr’s double major
are at play in her career as well. Project management, event
planning, speech editing, letter writing, market data and
metrics analysis, and research are all part of an average day.
“What I like about my job is that I am sort of a jack of all
trades. I get my hands on a variety of projects which allows
me to discover what interests me and what doesn’t…so there
is a lot of room for growth and development on a personal
level, which is something that is very important to me.”
To Karr, the future looks bright. Long-term, she says,
she wants to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She is
confident her liberal arts education will help her navigate
both priorities, her family and the always-changing, fluid
market. “There are numerous employers out there like mine
4
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
seeking well-rounded candidates who can offer that same
broad-based perspective,” says Karr.
Anne Hesslau Dondanville ’82
Policy Planner, Philanthropist, Artist
One of the hallmarks of a liberal arts education is the ease
with which graduates can transition from one career path
to another. “I graduated in 1982 when the economy was in a
similar cycle that this year’s graduates may encounter,” says
Anne Hesslau Dondanville. “The summer after graduation I
accepted an entry level job at a Japanese bank, worked as an
international flight attendant based at O’Hare, and applied to
graduate school all in the first year out of Saint Mary’s!”
After graduating with a degree in political science,
Dondanville earned her Master’s in Public Administration
from the University of Illinois at Springfield and went on
to work as a policy planner for the Illinois Department on
Aging. From there, she took a position as the executive
director of the Springfield Alzheimer’s Association. For
Dondanville, her liberal arts background prepared her to
pursue her passions. “I was trained to write, to speak publicly
and passionately, and to believe in my abilities and in God’s
plan for my life,” says Dondanville.
Dondanville’s passions reached beyond her work week
and, ultimately, brought her back to Saint Mary’s. She
has been an integral donor and devotee to the College.
“My motivation to give to Saint Mary’s was simply one of
gratitude,” says Dondanville. “Soon after graduation my
father and I were talking about his volunteer involvement
with the high school seminary he attended. When he spoke of
his gratitude for the dedication of the priests who made that
type of education possible, I realized that I felt the same way
about those who had preceded me at Saint Mary’s College.”
A six-year member of the Alumnae Board, Dondanville
served another six years on the Madeleva Steering
Committee, Saint Mary’s premier gift society, which takes
a leadership role in fundraising for financial aid and
scholarships for Saint Mary’s students. Dondanville also
chaired her Reunion Gift Campaign and volunteered during
the Sesquicentennial Campaign. These are just a few of the
roles to which she’s lent her time, talent, and treasure.
“Twenty-one years ago I attended my first Alumnae Board
meeting with an infant son in tow—he is now a sophomore
at Notre Dame,” says Dondanville. “Women who shared
that Board table with me remain friends and resources to
me today. They were ten, twenty, and thirty years older than
me and shared their wisdom—regarding parenting, careers,
and spiritual decisions. They were company presidents,
attorneys, teachers, musicians, artists—but what we had
in common was a desire to assure that Saint Mary’s College
was positioned to cherish her heritage and at the same
time, positioned to meet the financial challenges that could
jeopardize her future.”
Dondanville says she’s seen first-hand the difference
financial aid and scholarships have made to Saint Mary’s
students. “I have read articles in the Courier about the
accomplishments of women who were student government
commissioners who would address us at Board meetings.
My alumnae-endorsed applications have been submitted
by young women who are now graduates. I have received
notes and calls from students and I am more convinced
than ever that a Saint Mary’s College education is an even
greater gift in today’s world than it was in mine,” says
Dondanville.
Dondanville’s passions and pursuits continue to
reach far and wide. She currently runs her own business,
creating artisan jewelry including the French Cross
necklace, worn by many alumnae, and remains an active
member of the Madeleva Society Steering Committee.
Dondanville attributes her devotion to the College to the
education it provides, an education she believes to be
unique. “Students are exposed to the classics, to current
political debates, to the arts and sciences in a beautiful,
intimate environment where they are safe to explore
their intellectual leanings with other young women from
all over the world,” says Dondanville. “They are taught
and mentored by talented faculty members who are
committed to their academic growth and professional
preparation. It is an environment of excellence where
faculty, administration, staff, and alumnae are committed to
their success.”
Lisa Coury ’98
World Traveler
Lisa Coury found her passion, one that would translate
into a career, while studying abroad her sophomore year.
Since then, she has co-founded and manages Grazie Italia,
a travel agency that coordinates custom travel to Italy.
“The Saint Mary’s Rome Program is the reason I fell in
love, not only with Italy, but with travel, in general,” says
Photos, top to bottom: Kathleen Kelly Hartman ’94; Lisa Coury ’98;
Anne Dondanville ’82 with her family, Patrick, Tim, Brian ND ’12,
Dan, Roger, and Adrian; Katy Karr ’06
5
Coury. “It was unbelievable to me how art and history came
alive in front of me in the Eternal City…. It gave birth to my
love for cultural exchange. Through contact with another
culture, through the experience of being a foreigner, you
learn about others and about yourself. Most importantly, you
come to know that similarities far outweigh the differences
between people, regardless of nationality or language. And
when you understand this lesson, the differences between
people become fun!”
Coury graduated cum laude with a B.A. in humanistic
studies and a minor in Italian. In 2001, she traveled back
to Italy to St. John’s University in Rome, where she got her
MBA. Then, she returned to Phoenix, her hometown, where
she earned a Master’s in International Management from
Thunderbird School of Global Management.
According to Coury, humanistic studies prepared her for
the world of business. The major, unique to Saint Mary’s,
looks through the lenses of many disciplines to understand
Western culture. “Humanistic Studies taught me how to
study a culture…to understand its current political, social,
religious, scientific, and artistic environment, and to
understand how all of these elements combine to shape
the way people think and act,” Coury explains. “This type
of analysis is the identical thought process used in business
school and in business in general. To analyze any market,
you have to use this type of analysis to know if a product
should be introduced, how to introduce it, and then how
to market it.”
Now, Coury spends her days helping others see the best
of the place she loves. “I prepare custom itineraries for travel
throughout Italy. We’ve prepared all types of itineraries, from
very simple to very extravagant. I enjoy what I do because
it takes the ‘work’ out of my clients’ vacation, thus they are
better able to enjoy the richness of the Italian experience.”
For Coury, sharing what she loves is often it’s own reward.
“We love it when our clients come back and we can tell that
they ‘get it,’ that they understand the meaning of la dolce vita
in Italia (the sweet life in Italy). We even had a couple come
back once and tell us that we ‘saved their marriage,’ but really
it was just Italy. It’s a great gift to share with others!”
Coury credits the broad-based education she received at
Saint Mary’s with preparing her for the career she invented
for herself. “My liberal arts education, in general, made me a
well-rounded person,” says Coury. “It is only my mom and I
running Grazie Italia, so our job functions run the gamut! It
is equally important for me to know how to do accounting,
as it is for me to be able to write effectively and to create
marketing campaigns. The key to small business is wellroundedness, I believe.”
Kathleen Kelly Hartman ’94
Market Guru
“I think my liberal arts education gave me many career
options,” says Kathleen Kelly Hartman, manager of investor
relations at CME Group (formerly the Chicago Mercantile
Exchange).
“To me, the essence of a liberal arts education, no matter
what field one studies, is the ability to take in information
and synthesize it meaningfully.” That ability to synthesize
6
COURIER
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Spring 2009
information is one that Hartman uses daily. “Investor
relations is a field that combines finance, marketing, and
communications,” says Hartman. “My company is publicly
traded, and in my role I work as part of a team to provide
current and potential investors in our stock with information
regarding the firm’s historical performance and potential
going forward.”
After graduating from Saint Mary’s with a double major
in English and philosophy, Hartman taught high school
English to inner city girls, which she says she loved. She
has also worked as an operations manager and a business
analyst. The flexibility with which Hartman has been able to
navigate the corporate world, she attributes to the nature of
her education. “I think that I developed two key skills at Saint
Mary’s that have made it possible for me to work in such a
variety of different fields,” says Hartman. “Those skills are
communications and analysis. Different jobs I’ve had have
emphasized one skill or the other to a greater extent, but I
can’t think of any field where those skills aren’t critical. In my
current role, I use the two fairly equally.”
Hartman went on to earn an M.B.A. in Finance and
Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at
Northwestern University in 2007. How does one find their
way from English and philosophy to an MBA? “I credit my
philosophy studies with developing the analytical side
of my brain,” says Hartland. “Once you’ve dissected Kant
and Heidegger with Ann [Clark, professor of philosophy],
understanding a financial statement seems easy!”
Part of a liberal arts education is learning how to learn,
how to educate yourself. This often develops into a love of
learning for its own sake. For Hartman, this transferable
skill pays dividends. “I like working with people, and it gives
me a chance to work with people across a variety of roles
throughout my company and with investors and analysts
outside my company,” she says. “Also, I am really interested
in capital markets and economics. My company is a
derivatives exchange, so most of the economic news that you
hear about impacts our business and our customers. It is a
constant learning experience and I love to learn new things.”
Hartman says the writing that was required of her as an
undergraduate has served her well in her numbers-based
industry. “It’s more than just an emphasis on writing. It’s
teaching an analytical thought process where you are
constantly taking in information, distilling it down to
the critical parts, and then communicating it in a clear,
meaningful way,” says Hartman. “Whether I am putting
together a PowerPoint presentation or writing an e-mail, I am
constantly reminded of those freshman year W classes: what
is your thesis, and why is it true? Once you’d gotten the core
ideas together, the focus on polishing the mechanics and
style of one’s writing was invaluable.”
Ultimately, a liberal arts education liberates, both within
the sphere of work and without. “The ability to see the
patterns and interconnections amongst information has
been a great asset in all the fields I’ve worked,” says Hartman.
“And it goes beyond my career…I love movies and music and
books and theater, and being able to apply these skills to my
leisure pursuits gives me a great deal of enjoyment in my
personal life.”
Alice Chen
By Natalie Davis Miller
Professor Frances Hwang placed a bag full of apples in the
middle of the classroom in Spes Unica Hall. The assignment:
Each of her fiction writing
students was to pick out an apple
and write about it. Descriptions
were varied, flowing, poetic even.
Exercises in writing description
such as this were just a small part
of an engaging fiction writing
course.
Students in Frances Hwang’s
fiction writing class spent the
fall semester crafting characters,
setting, dialogue, and scenes
into literary fiction that
Professor Frances Hwang
would become the beginning
of a novella. Conducted in a workshop setting similar
to graduate-level programs, students received positive
feedback and constructive criticism from each other as well
as from Hwang. As the writing on the novellas progressed,
students also read classic and contemporary literature,
the only textbooks for the class. The classroom instruction
included in-class writing assignments, and student-led class
discussions.
Professor Hwang is no stranger to good writing. In
addition to a number of awards, honors, and grants, she has
had a number of short stories published in literary magazines
such as Tin House, Glimmer Train, the Madison Review, and
the Best New American Voices. She is also the author of a short
story collection titled Transparency (Back Bay Books-Little,
Brown and Company, 2007), and she is presently working on
a novella herself. Hwang has been a professor at Saint Mary’s
since 2007.
The semester ended with students submitting at least 40
pages of their novellas. Professor Hwang met with Courier
to talk about how students benefit from trying their hand at
fiction and how the experience complements a liberal arts
degree.
How does a liberal arts degree work in the real world? How
does it help students prepare for a career?
“I always think of students with a liberal arts degree as
being passionate about learning for the sake of learning.
They are curious about many things—art, politics, literature,
history, science, religion—and their breadth of knowledge
allows them to make connections, to grasp and make sense
of the world from a larger perspective. Employers, I hope, will
always value individuals with this kind of sensibility.”
What are the benefits of studying and writing fiction?
“Fiction allows us to step outside the confines of our
own lives and to identify with the lives of others. We get
to meet people from all walks of life with different social
and cultural backgrounds, from different time periods and
countries. What I love about fiction is how it allows us to take
an imaginative leap into other worlds, embark on a journey
that allows us to intimately know another person’s life. And
then to reflect upon that life, to be moved by what happens
to a character; no doubt the best fiction does this, makes us
deeply consider the lives of others and develops our capacity
for empathy. I’d like to think that reading and writing fiction
enriches our imagination and makes us more open, tolerant
human beings.”
As a professor, what are you getting your students ready for?
“When I teach creative writing, what I want most from my
students is that they become original, creative thinkers. For
stepping out
fiction to have any literary merit, I think it has to surprise us
and be unfamiliar in some way. That means that as writer you
have to reject anything that is ready-made, resist formulas,
stereotypes, and clichés. This is harder to do than it sounds.
Art values innovative, unconventional thinking. I hope
that my class encourages students to become independent
thinkers who will not blindly accept what they’ve been told or
given, but who will look closer in order to try to understand
the truth and complexity of anything, whether it be an idea, a
situation, or another human being.”
michelle
i
catenacc
major
: English Literature and
English Writing
hometown
: Westfield, New Jersey
aspirations
: Publishing/Writing
why i write
: “I have found writing
to be a great medium to express
myself in creative ways. It
allows me to get lost in different
characters and worlds that I normally would not experience.
It also permits me to experience new ways of being and
understanding through the words I put on a page.”
excerpt
from With These Hands:
Ignoring the pain, she planted her hands firmly on his
chest and pushed him away before he had a chance to realize
what she had said. Without ceremony and before he could get
another word in, Lilly yanked off the glove on her right hand.
With great care, she then removed her wedding ring from her
left finger…
desiree j.
fischer
major
English Writing
hometown
: Middlebury, Indiana
aspirations
: High School English
Teacher and Writer
why i write: “I write because it is
my passion. It is a way for me
to express myself to others who
hopefully enjoy reading what I write.”
excerpt
from Mud Pies and Glitter Glue:
Kurt arrived just in time to help me dig my old blue bike
out of the shed. After wading through mountainous boxes of
my parents’ things and climbing over various pieces of lawn
care equipment, I spotted it. It was still beautiful, if not a little
tired looking. It was the bike that my parents had bought
me before I went to college. The bike had carried me to the
majority of my classes, and when I lived in the city, it had also
carried me to and from work.
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
7
r
miranda baxte
emily coo
k
major
majors
hometown
: Theatre and Philosophy
: Fairfax, Virginia
hometown
: Mishawaka, Indiana
aspirations
: “I plan on becoming
a professional stage manager;
I’ve set the goal of joining the
Actors’ Equity Association
within five years of graduating
from Saint Mary’s. I would also
like to try writing plays when
I’ve found some kind of security in the future.”
why i write: “I write as an escape. When I was young, I would
read as much as I could and as often as possible to escape
from the mundane everyday life we all live. That’s not to say
that I didn’t enjoy life, because I did (and still do), but I enjoy
escaping to different worlds, either in the sense of other
peoples’ lives, or even to fantastical places.”
excerpt
from Alone No More:
As concerns for Dogberry consumed his mind, he briefly
forgot most of the misfortunes of the evening. He forgot the
way Beatrice had turned his heart’s pace up about seven
notches when she walked in the door. He forgot the way he
had so quickly managed to gain and lose her interest in a
single hour. He also forgot how the Ginkgo trees that lined the
sidewalk suddenly seemed darker and more threatening as
soon as she had departed...
sarah sheppar
d
major
English Writing
hometown
: Grosse Pointe,
Michigan
aspirations
: Law or Publishing
why i write
: “I write to express my
thoughts, to free my stress and
explore my imagination.”
excerpt
from A Whirlwind of Snowflakes:
On the way home from school, Katie gripped the steering
wheel hard, letting her fingertips turn purple from the
pressure. She watched the road intensely with her body
leaning forward. She drove slowly, careful not to slide on the
wet snow and lose control. Almost there, Katie repeated in her
head, wondering why she decided to drive. The trip home was
agonizing. It was her first day driving since his accident. She
was in constant fear while in control of the wheel. Katie could
hardly breathe until she pulled into the narrow driveway of
her small, brick house. She waited before getting out of the car
so she could recover from the drive. The light snow covering
her house and the colorful Christmas lights her father hung
last week were lit around the roof. Katie took three deep
breaths, before going inside.
aspirations: Publishing or
Marketing
excerpt
from Full Count:
Crack.
As the sound of leather making solid contact with metal
broke the silence in Yale Field, Brandon unleashed a bloodcurdling scream from the mound. The intended, hard, linedrive by the husky batter ricocheted off the side of Brandon’s
face. The ball was halted by the fleshy skin between Brandon’s
temple and ear. Both fell to the ground with a thud.
The audience gasped as the infield stood in position with
shock written across their faces. All the players were immobile
as if they were standing in hardened cement.
major
: English Writing
hometown
: Mosinee, Wisconsin
aspirations
: “This week? To work
for a wedding magazine. But
ask me next week, and I may
have a different answer for
you.”
why i write
: “…I don’t have to
think about it…I just put a pen to paper, and words come
out. I don’t always like what comes out; it’s not always very
good. But when I summon words, they come.”
excerpt
from First of May:
The clown walked nearer to Scarlet; she hid behind the
giant wheels of the wagon. He slammed down his bucket and
took out a cigar and matchbox from the giant pocket of his
denim pants. The clown sat down on the overturned bucket,
lit the cigar, breathed it in, and sighed, looking up at the
stars. Slowly and softly, between puffs of the vanilla-scented
cigar, the clown began to hum a sad tune. Scarlet thought she
recognized it from a broken music box she had gotten rid of
a few summers ago. And slowly and softly, as Scarlet leaned
against the enormous wheel beneath the circus wagon, she
began to drift off into a dreamless sleep.
hometown: Lancaster,
Pennsylvania
hometown
: St. Louis, Missouri
aspirations
: Writer
aspirations
why i write
excerpt
from Pressure Point:
Something was out of place. Something had been moved.
Her chair. She didn’t usually leave it sticking out like that, she
always tucked it underneath her desk. Always. She tucked her
chair in and looked around. Her closet? The door seemed to
be standing ajar. She never left her door like that. Someone
was behind her. “Hi Sam,” a voice whispered into her ear.
Sam whipped around and saw a face staring right back at
her. Before she knew what was going on, her entire body went
numb and everything went black.
megan sotak
major
Writing
oedler
kelsey kn
: English writing and
English literature
: Communications
: “I chose to pursue a
writing minor because I have
always enjoyed reading and
writing.”
hometown
anater
major
major
why i write
: “Writing is more
than a creative outlet for me;
it’s a way to express my words,
thoughts, and emotions
through a language that is full
of literary devices and variable
vocabulary. The writing classes
I’ve taken at Saint Mary’s have
challenged me to try new ways
of thinking when it comes to
characterization and encouraged me to embrace the beauty
of the present.”
marilynn
laura kleinsch
midt
: Business Administration and Marketing
: Ph.D. in English or
a J.D.
why i write: “For me, writing
is a personal experience.
Mostly, writing gives me the
opportunity to showcase a
single instant of the human experience that I find particularly
engaging or deserving of attention, and to encapsulate it
permanently in the powerful medium of the written word.”
excerpt
from Testimony:
I blindly let her help me down from the witness stand and
guide me away from the judge’s bench. I close my eyes as we
approach the defendant’s table, I don’t want to feel his eyes on
me any longer.
Passing through the gate that separates the court arena
from the gallery, I can feel a huge weight lifted off me and
notice that my breathing is coming more easily. As we walk
down the aisle to leave the courtroom, I see my parents dart
back to their seats to grab their coats and belongings before
following behind us. Yet all I can think about is how I still just
want to get out, want to leave. I want to get out of the stifling
room of grand columns, mahogany woodwork, and grated
windows, and leave those piercing eyes behind.
: Cleveland, Ohio
aspirations
: Editor, Professor, or
jamie peterso
n
Novelist
why i write
: “I write because
I must; within me is a need
to write that cannot be
ignored. Writing allows for the
preservation of memories, the sharing of ideas and opinions,
the exploration of something different, and the birth of new
characters and new worlds. That’s the short answer.”
excerpt
from A Masked Man:
As I walked, I was captivated by the storefronts overflowing
with masks of all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. There
were masks with long noses, short noses, and no noses. Masks
with full faces in all colors of the spectrum. Masks with
feathers and bells, with crystals and ribbons. Papier-mâché
masks and others made of metal, though especially delicatelooking. There were even masks of animals—elephants, pigs,
giraffes, lions, camels, frogs, hippos, rams, unicorns. I had
never seen such enchanting stores, never even imagined them.
Some stores sold glass made on Murano Island that came in
bizarre shapes, mostly wavy cones with brilliant blues and
oranges, branching out from a spherical base. Shelves in
windows were decorated with figurines of animals, French
cartoon characters Asterix and Obelix, holiday ornaments,
and flowers all made of glass. The mask and glass stores made
up Venice; one store with material to hide you and one with
material to expose you.
major
: English Literature and English
Writing
hometown
: Austin, Texas
aspirations
: Publishing, Editor
why i write
: “I write because it
feels natural. I write in hopes that
one day, just one person, will be
inspired to write.”
excerpt
from Exploding Grapes:
Now she had someone else’s hot breath on her neck and
it was making her think of him. She did not want to react
wrong again. Making the first move however was not in her
repertoire. She shifted uncomfortably and the hot breath left
her neck. Charlotte began to relax muscle by muscle but the
weight beside her on the couch did not budge. Connor was
still sitting there. Charlotte kept her eyes closed hoping that
Connor would think she had fallen asleep and would become
uninterested.
“Charlotte, you awake? I just want to talk.”
To read more of the stories, go to saintmarys.edu/stepping-out.
8
COURIER
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Spring 2009
COURIER
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Spring 2009
9
IN
THE
STACKS
Therese J. Borchard ’93
with Alumnae Authors
By Shannon E. Brewer ’03
As a liberal arts college focused on educating proficient
writers, Saint Mary’s has graduated generations of published
authors. From Sister Madeleva Wolff, C.S.C., to Avenue
aficionado Kymberly Dunlap ‘04, our alumnae have made
great strides in the literary world. As alumna and author
Therese J. Borchard ’93 puts it, “In a sense, I think Saint
Mary’s has prepared every student to be a writer if she
chooses to follow that path.” Below we feature a small
selection of notable alumnae authors, many of whom
attribute their literary know-how to a Saint Mary’s education.
Adriana Trigiani ’80
Wander through the rows of Cushwa-Leighton Library’s
fiction section and you’ll find the shelves stocked with
b
books by alumna author Adriana
Trigiani. Of course, you’ll also find
T
her books at any bookstore worth
h
iits muster. The bestselling author
o
of the Big Stone Gap series, Trigiani
h
has published a novel per year since
2000. She recalls Saint Mary’s fondly
2
as the place she was encouraged to
a
h
hone her craft. “I was lucky to go to
S
Saint Mary’s and have the world’s
best professors guide me as a young
b
writer,” says Trigiani. “Max Westler
w
sset me on a path of whimsy and joy;
Sister Jean Klene—Shakespeare and
S
storytelling; Reg Bain—theater—well, I could go on and on.”
This spring Trigiani released her latest novel Very Valentine
(Harper, 2009), a story about a family of shoemakers in
Greenwich Village. “Very Valentine is a full expression of
the fundamentals I learned and built upon: storytelling,
dialogue, arc, and substance,” says Trigiani. “All of these, I
learned and cultivated at Saint Mary’s.”
Sister Madeleva Wolff, C.S.C. 1909
One of our most revered alumnae, Sister M. Madeleva
Wolff, C.S.C., was a prolific writer. She published a cadre
of literary works throughout her life, including collections
of her poetry and theological essays. Sister Madeleva
transferred to Saint Mary’s as a sophomore from the
University of Wisconsin at Madison, finished her sophomore
and junior years at Saint Mary’s, and then joined the convent,
completing her degree as a member of the Holy Cross
Congregation.
I passed a wood of beech trees yesterday
Sister Madeleva
served as president And I am shaken with its beauty yet.
of the College
Why should my breath catch and my eyes be wet
from 1934 to 1961.
Because a hundred trees some yards away
A contemporary
Know simply how to dress in simple gray,
of C.S. Lewis and
Are poised beyond the need of epithet,
Thomas Merton,
And beautiful past power to forget?
she corresponded
—Excerpt from “Beech Trees”
regularly with both
by Sister M. Madeleva Wolff, CSC
on theological
matters. Sister
Madeleva is considered one of the great theological
minds—male or female—of her time.
Marijean Boueri ’82
Marijean Boueri studied English literature at Saint
Mary’s. She now writes for children. She has published two
children’s books, Lebanon 1-2-3 (Publishing Works, Inc.,
2005) and Lebanon A-Z: A Middle Eastern Mosaic (Publishing
Works, Inc., 2006), co-written with Jill Boutros and Joanne
S
Sayad. The books reflect her
iinternational lifestyle and
iinterest in sharing Lebanon’s
rrich cultural heritage with
cchildren across the globe. Boueri
h
has lived in Beirut, Lebanon,
w
with her husband and children
ssince 1997.
Lebanon 1-2-3 is subtitled
““A Counting Book in Three
Languages: English, French,
L
Arabic.” Boueri’s words, framed in colorful detail on the
right-hand pages, appear in poetic couplets, which are
then translated in French and Arabic beneath. The book is
beautifully illustrated by Mona Trad Dabaji whose paintings
depict a family’s cozy home life
in Lebanon.
Author and blogger Therese J. Borchard dealt with life’s big
questions as a religious studies major. “Saint Mary’s prepared
me about as well as any small liberal college could, because
I learned to become an analytical thinker,” she says. This
became an important skill for Borchard as she began to write
after graduation. She has published books that explore the
history and theology of Catholicism, compilations including
The Imperfect Mom: Candid Confessions of Mothers Living
in the Real World (Broadway, 2006), and various articles and
essays.
After giving birth to her daughter, Borchard experienced
what she considers a nervous breakdown. While recovering,
she wrestled, once again, with the important issues of faith
and now mental health. The breakdown changed her life,
including her creative life. “I wanted to combine my faith
perspective with mental-health information that would
help others who suffer from mood disorders,” explains
Borchard. She does this every day through her blog “Beyond
Blue” on Beliefnet.com. Her memoir, Beyond Blue: Surviving
Depression and Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes
(Center Street, 2009) will be released in May.
Karin Gurtzweiler Perozek ’94
Alumna author Karin Gurtzweiler
Perozek recently published a book
for teens with her husband Timothy
Perozek (ND ’93) called Up Your
Aspirations by Thinking Like a Kid and
Earning Like a CEO (iUniverse, 2007).
It’s a timely publication for those
concerned with the current economic
crisis. But the book addresses teens,
not adults.
Perozek says the idea for the book, advice for teens
looking to make and save money, formed from her and her
husband’s life experiences. As teenagers, the pair earned
money for college by doing odd jobs, from mowing lawns to
teaching private art lessons. Recently they compiled all of
the ideas and wrote the book in what Perozek calls, “a very
fun, tongue-in-cheek, somewhat irreverent, straight-forward
manner for teens. It’s a humorously written book that teaches
kids how to make money and have fun while doing so.”
Perozek, who graduated from Saint Mary’s with a degree
in fine art, says her experience at the College prepared her to
write the book and pursue any other goal she
wished. “Attending Saint Mary’s
gave me the courage to be
open to whatever
life brought
my way,”
Perozek says. “My education gave me the confidence to
continue to always grow, change, evolve, and explore the
person I am meant to become.”
Kathryn Christenson Janiszewski ’64
“Write about something you know well, are passionate
about, and know that you will revise again and again.” That
sound writing advice comes from Kathryn Christenson
Janiszewski. And she should know. This alumna author
graduated from Saint Mary’s with a degree in elementary
education, then went on to obtain her master’s degree in
education with an emphasis on reading for adults from
Loyola College in Baltimore. Her career has involved teaching
writing to elementary school students, which, she says,
helped build her own writing skills.
Recently Janiszewski published a book she has been
working on sporadically for thirteen years. Only One
Returned tells the story of her father’s harrowing return from
a flight-bombing mission over Germany during World War
II. “I often told the story of my father’s escape and by the
time I would finish, those listening were often in tears,” says
Janiszewski. “They would say to me, ‘You should write that
story.’” Janiszewski heeded their advice. “I think I can offer an
example for those who like to write, have the time, and want
to preserve stories for their families.”
Kymberly Dunlap ’04
Kymberly Dunlap corresponded with hundreds of Saint
Mary’s alumnae while compiling her book Saint Mary’s
College: Her Memories Beyond the Avenue. The alumna
graduated from the College with a B.B.A. in business
administration. On a return visit to campus the October
after her graduation, Dunlap spoke with fellow alumnae of
other generations. She realized the importance of preserving
their stories. “It occurred to me that these intriguing stories
would be lost forever if they were
not documented by the women who
experienced them,” she explains.
Dunlap set about gathering
alumnae memories, largely via e-mail.
“I quickly learned that our alumnae
are so giving of themselves, whether
it’s making a new lifetime friend or
achieving a childhood dream,” she
says. In writing the book, Dunlap
fulfilled a dream of her own. “Writing
a book has been a childhood dream
of mine that was forgotten until that
first weekend in October 2004, and
my love of Saint Mary’s rekindled
that memory,” Dunlap reflects. “The one thing that stands
out the most for me is that the Saint Mary’s community is a
transformational leader that teaches each student that she
can be anyone and achieve more than ever thought possible.”
Did we miss an author? While we could not feature every
alumna author in this story, the library can. If you know
of an alumna who has published a book, please contact
the director of the Cushwa-Leighton Library, Janet Fore,
at jfore@saintmarys.edu or (574) 284-5281.
10
COURIER
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Spring 2009
COURIER
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Spring 2009
11
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Anticipating their upcoming graduations,
Courier interns Kristen Edelen ’09 and Jessica
Huang ’09 caught up with alumna Lisa
Maxbauer Price ’99 to ask her about life after
college. Lisa talked about her journey
Kristen Edelen ’0
into the world
9
Major: English w
rit
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Kristen: How did your Saint Mary’s education prepare you
for your career?
Lisa: I had these wonderful female professors and
friends at Saint Mary’s, which made for a smooth transition
into a similar environment in women’s publishing. The W
[Advanced Writing Requirement] distinction each student
earns really helps. It was very important that I was pushed to
cultivate my writing through earning that “W,” because those
skills can’t be overlooked once you get into the real world.
Saint Mary’s is wonderful because it puts this big stress
on the liberal arts and doing what you love. My career advice
is to figure out what you love and find a way to make money
doing it.
Also, I think working at The Observer was one of those
turning points that set me up nicely for my career.
Kristen: Were there professors at Saint Mary’s that
encouraged your interest in writing?
Lisa: Dr. Max Westler is a poetry professor, who was very
encouraging of my talents and told me one day, “if you ever
stop writing, it would be a real shame.”
Jessica: What’s your best advice for seniors on the job hunt?
Lisa: My best advice is to utilize all the incredible
resources of the alumnae. There are alumnae in every city
in the country practically, and if they don’t have the job you
12
COURIER
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Spring 2009
want they might know someone who does.
Since the job market is going to be tough, those
connections are really going to be valuable. As soon as I
graduated from Saint Mary’s, I had 18,000 living alumnae.
Jessica: What would you say is your most memorable Saint
Mary’s moment?
Lisa: When world famous feminist artist Judy Chicago
came to campus, I was so thrilled to hand her a copy of the
article I had written about her in The Observer. I later heard
from my art history professor that the last thing Chicago
said when she left for the airport was that she thought the
coverage Saint Mary’s gave her in the paper was the best she’d
ever seen during any campus she had ever visited.
Kristen: How was the adjustment from college to your first
job at Physician’s Weekly?
Lisa: …I moved to New York City the Saturday after
graduation. I had $1,600 and no job. It’s kind of dramatic,
but sometimes, you just have to move to the city, pound the
pavement, and be there to go on interviews.
Physician’s Weekly ended up being a dream job and a
wonderful training ground. I was writing cover stories after
my first three months. I made contacts and worked big press
conferences. The job taught me how the publishing world
worked in New York City.
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Left to right: Jessica Huang ’09, Lisa Maxbauer Price ’99, Kristen Edelen ’09
It is hard paying your bills that first year on an entry-level.
Manhattan is an expensive place, but it seemed doable and
like it was this wonderful adventure. Every year you make
more money, so it gets easier.
Kristen: Why is magazine publishing so appealing to you?
Lisa: I love that it’s really tangible. I love that people buy
magazines because they want to read them the second they
get home. It feels real to me, that something I write exists for
awhile in the world.
Depending on what life phase you’re in, there’s always a
magazine that is kind of like your companion. Now that I’m
a mother, the magazines I really want to read are parenting
magazines.
Jessica: How are you balancing motherhood and work?
Lisa: When I told First that my family was relocating to
Boston, they were so wonderful. They said essentially, “We’d
like to keep you on—full-time, full-salary, you’ll just work
from home.” I have a 2½-year-old son and I really wanted to
be around more. This is the second time in my career that
I’ve been a full-time freelancer. Being self-employed means I
have a lot more flexibility.
Jessica: What are some of the coolest things you’ve done as a
magazine writer?
Lisa: I did a 2008 cover story on actress Kristen Chenoweth
from Pushing Daisies and Wicked. That was one of my first
big celebrity interviews. Also, I interviewed Kelly Ripa at
a press event and then, she was later featured with First.
While at First, I had the opportunity to interview the cast of
“Scrubs,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Entourage.”
Last year I worked the pressroom for the Dove Awards. It
was in Nashville’s famous Grand Old Opry, and I interviewed
some really great country music stars. It’s cool because even
if these interviews never become stories, you still have that
experience.
Kristen: What memory stands outs for you from the time
you spent in New York?
Lisa: Hitting tennis with Billie Jean King at a press event
during the U.S. Open. I had this moment of thinking, “Wow,
being a journalist really opens doors. You get to do some
amazing things.” I was from a small town in Northern
Michigan and I was working on these amazing stories in
New York City, and the one road that connected those two
destinations was Saint Mary’s.
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
13
bellesathletics
Best of Both Worlds
By Natalie Davis Miller
A liberal arts degree may not seem like the first step on the
path to becoming a scientist. For Dr. Mary Anne Luzar ’72
however, her liberal arts foundation led to a successful career
in the sciences and an opportunity to make a difference in
the world.
Luzar returned to campus this past October to present
a four-day, non-credit mini course, titled Human Clinical
Trial Research in the 21st Century: The Complex World
of International Drug Development. Luzar is the chief of
the Regulatory Affairs Branch, Division of AIDS, National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National
Institutes of Health. She currently works on AIDS research
for the Department of Health and Human Services, and has
traveled to over 20 countries for work-related projects. Her
work has appeared in numerous journals, including her
clinical findings from her dissertation, which were published
in the New England Journal of Medicine. She is fluent in
both French and Spanish, and defended her dissertation in
French, becoming the first American to receive the Ph.D.
summa cum laude in microbiology from the Free University
of Brussels, Belgium. Prior to that she obtained a Master
of Science degree from the University of Tennessee. Luzar
was then recruited by Baxter Corporation to work in their
European Research Center in Belgium, where they funded
her Ph.D. studies. Needless to say, she has received a myriad
of professional honors. And she got her start right here at
Saint Mary’s College.
Luzar double-majored in humanistic studies and French
literature at Saint Mary’s. As a first-year student, Luzar
heard Dr. Bruno Schlesinger speak on the humanistic
studies program. “He was mesmerizing,” says Luzar. “He
spoke eloquently about the role of history, religion, art, and
philosophy in our western culture—but more importantly,
he wove them together into a ‘cultural basket’ and made me
understand that this program could give me the foundation
on which to build anything I wanted in my life. And so I
decided that night to major in humanistic studies…”
Luzar spent her sophomore year studying in Angers,
France, living with a French family. “My French family with
eleven children spent hours teaching me French—at dinner
there was a French dictionary between the father and me at
the table and there was no hesitation in using it,” describes
Luzar. “Learning about the French language, people, and
culture sparked my interest in travel and work abroad.” She
traveled throughout Europe, visited her father’s relatives
in Slovenia, and in the summer, she worked with a French
architect and other college students restoring a chateau
in Southern France. “In hindsight, I see it was a significant
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Spring 2009
Mary Anne Luzar ’72 works and lives in the Washington,
D.C. area with her husband, the Honorable William J.
Tattersall, and their 13-year-old daughter, Mary Isabelle.
experience that shaped my life. Angers was the leg of three
segments of my life spent abroad and it helped me adjust to
all of them.”
In addition to her study-abroad experience, Luzar
appreciates the relationships she’s had with her Saint Mary’s
professors. “Having been a teaching assistant in graduate
school myself, I realize how special it is to have faculty of
such high caliber at Saint Mary’s teaching undergraduate
students,” explains Luzar. “Because I learned to trust my
intellect at Saint Mary’s, I was ready to take on academic
challenges in graduate school.”
Today, Luzar is responsible for ensuring that the 400
human clinical trials in 45 countries sponsored by the U.S.
government, here and internationally, meet pertinent U.S.
laws and regulations. The four-day mini course gave Luzar
the opportunity to share current information on clinical trials
for testing new drugs and vaccines for the prevention and
treatment of HIV.
“Because Saint Mary’s has a student body interested in
making a difference in their world, and because this world is
increasingly international in scope, I believe this course…will
be of interest to them and will provide an additional tool for
them to help realize their goals.”
Luzar embodies how a liberal arts foundation works hand
in hand with the discipline of science. “I always tell people
that humanistic studies taught me to see the connections
between complex issues that do not appear on the surface
to be related. The Saint Mary’s liberal arts education I
received with humanistic studies has been invaluable to
me as a scientist.”
Fall Sports Round-Up
The fall of 2008 saw four of the College’s varsity athletic
teams take their respective rings of competition.
Junior nursing major Megan McClowry had a break-out
season for the cross country team as she finished first for the
Belles at each race this fall. McClowry finished 13th at the
MIAA Championships to earn All-MIAA Second Team honors
for the first time in her career. She became just the fourth
harrier for Saint Mary’s to earn All-MIAA honors. As a team,
Saint Mary’s finished the MIAA season in fourth place for the
second consecutive year. No other Belles’ cross country team
has finished higher in the MIAA.
Also posting a break-out season was sophomore golfer
and business major Rosie O’Connor. O’Connor finished the
fall season with 403 strokes in
league competition to average
80.6, edging out her nearest
competition by a single stroke,
to become the fifth Belle in the
past six years and the youngest
Saint Mary’s golfer to earn
MIAA Season Medalist honors.
By finishing second overall
as a team in the fall season,
Saint Mary’s will host one of
the three 18-hole rounds of
MIAA play in the spring that
will determine the conference’s
automatic qualifier to the NCAA
tournament.
Under the guidance of first
Rosie O’Connor became the fifth
Belle in the past six years to earn
year head coach Ryan Crabbe,
MIAA Season Medalist honors.
the Saint Mary’s soccer team
featured an all-conference
athlete for the eighth consecutive season. Senior forward
Lauren Hinton earned All-MIAA Second Team honors for the
third time in her career after leading the Belles in goals and
points last season.
The 2008 volleyball
team had one of the
most successful seasons
in recent history with 18
wins in the fall. Junior
outside hitter Lorna
Slupczynski recorded
her 1,000th career dig
and kill in the same
match, which also
Cathy Kurczak (left) and Lorna Slupczynski happened to be the
both earned All-MIAA honors at the end
team’s 18th win of the
of the season.
season. She and senior
Cathy Kurczak both earned All-MIAA Second Team honors at
the conclusion of the season.
Through the fall athletic season, Saint Mary’s was in third
place in the MIAA’s Women’s All-Sport standings, which are
based on each school’s season finish in the conference. Saint
Mary’s had their highest ever finish in the standings last year
in fourth place.
Basketball
This year’s Saint Mary’s
basketball team had the most
successful season in program
history. The Belles won a school
record 17 wins and finished
second in the MIAA, which was
the highest finish ever by a Belles
basketball team. The team hosted
and won the first two rounds
of the season-ending MIAA
tournament and made their first
trip to the conference tournament
championship game. Senior
Senior Erin Newsom broke
forward Erin Newsom has been
the school record for career
leading the way for the Belles
rebounds, scored her 1,000th
much of this season. Newsom
career point, and was named
has broken the school record for
First Team All-MIAA
career rebounds, surpassing the
this season.
old mark of
683 set by Julie
McGill ’98, while
also becoming
just the eighth
player in school
history to score
more than 1,000
career points.
The Belles celebrate the closing seconds of a
historic 91-84 win over #1 Hope.
Swimming and Diving
Some young talent has emerged this season for the
swimming and diving team. Eva Cavadini and Barbara
Beidler, first-year swimmers, have already found themselves
among the All-Time
Top Five finishers
in their respective
events, and Audrey
Dalrymple, has
broken six school
records. Dalrymple
has come out of the
starting blocks to
be one of the best
breaststrokers in
Audrey Dalrymple became the second
school history as she Belle to earn the right to compete at the
has set four separate NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving
school records this
Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.
season. She also
became the second swimmer in College history to qualify
for and participate in the NCAA Division III Swimming and
Diving Championships. The Belles finished the season in fifth
place at the season-ending MIAA Championships hosted by
Saint Mary’s from February 19–21 at Rolfs Aquatic Center at
the University of Notre Dame.
COURIER
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Spring 2009
15
Invite More Creativity Into Your Life
avenuenews
Saint Mary’s Attacked by 50-Foot Woman
An Interview with Art Professor Krista Hoefle
By Shannon E. Brewer ’03
As an art professor and one of the many creative minds
on campus, Krista Hoefle knows a thing or two about the
pursuit of creative passions. As a college student, she started
out as a history major—“I love history,” she says—but as she
sculpted away her spare time in the art studio at her alma
mater, Hoefle decided to make a major change. Strapped
with her creativity and curiosity, Hoefle established herself
as a furniture design student at Savannah College of Art and
Design, went on to earn her M.F.A. from Pennsylvania State
University, and eventually landed at Saint Mary’s.
In addition to running the Moreau Art Galleries on
campus, Hoefle teaches courses in sculpture, design, and
special topics in new media, video, and theory/criticism. Her
installations, animations, works on paper, and videos have
appeared in national and international venues. Below, Hoefle
shares her advice on how people can cultivate creativity in
their own lives.
What’s your advice for people who say,
“I’m not creative”?
Start with a technique or process you’ve always wanted
to try and go with that. Just dive in and try to find as many
resources and as much information on the topic as you can.
If you’ve always wanted to try knitting, for example, buy a
book, join a knitting group, watch “Knitty Gritty” on the DIY
Network, or go to a yarn and fabric store. Find a podcast
about what interests you. Just Google-ing “knitting” on
the Web will give you a plethora of information and
resources. The more you engage the more you’ll get out
of the experience.
Where can we go for inspiration?
Getting back in the classroom is a terrific way to gain
a new perspective on what you’re doing. If you can’t take
a class, go to your local bookstore and check out their
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COURIER
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Spring 2009
do-it-yourself section for a wealth of books and magazines
related to techniques and processes. I love learning about
how others work or how they cultivate their ideas. It gives me
great ideas in return!
How do we connect with fellow creatives?
Artists lectures are a great way to gain new insight. Going
to art openings is another way you can meet artists and tap
into what, how, and why they do what they do. I love learning
new techniques that way.
5 Ways to incorporate creativity
into your daily routine
Explore. Take a different route to work, or a different mode of
transportation. If you usually drive, try walking or taking the
bus. New scenery often inspires new ideas.
.
Shake up your routine Perform your daily tasks in a different
order. This will retrain your brain to think in new ways.
.
Get Close to Nature Take a walk in the woods or spend time
in your garden. Poets and other writers and creatives often
draw inspiration from the natural world.
Pray or Meditate. Just five minutes spent alone in a quiet
space can reconnect you with your creative side.
.
Take note Carry a small notebook and pen around with
you. When you see or hear something out of the ordinary—a
funny joke, an interesting magazine ad, a new song on the
radio—write it down. Use the things going on around you as
fodder for a creative act later.
Saint Mary’s got to peek into Professor Krista Hoefle’s
is a pair of working lungs, hanging from the ceiling, breathing
wacky laboratory of anatomical abstraction, which was part
eerily. They are three times the size of actual human lungs
of the Department of Art Faculty Exhibition this semester.
and are made of hot-ironed biohazard bags, which are
Hoefle’s new installation entitled, “My Tomorrowland is
inflated and deflated by a prototyped circuit. A paper-mâché
an Empty Space,” filled
heart, also three times the size of a human’s, hangs from the
the Hammes Gallery
ceiling as well, and a pair of elongated femur bones made of
with scientific imagery
polyurethane are mounted on the opposite wall.
that took the forms of
“Each component acts as a type of prosthesis; a series of
sculpture, printmaking,
artificial replacements that creates an eccentric landscape of
photography, video,
the body.” Hoefle says, “I work in a semi-abstract sort of way,”
and design.
and explains that in order to develop these casts she used
“I would say I’m a
medical lungs, heart, and bone models, but made them her
sculptor,” Hoefle says,
own with various materials, prints, and dimensions.
but both the media
“As a whole, this system is intended to establish a sense
she uses and what she
of discovery for the viewer; interactive surprises in small
depicts may not be what
corners, unexpected treasures up-close, playful intrusions
comes to mind when
overhead.” With
you think of sculpture.
this installation,
“I love working in video
Hoefle’s lively
and building my own
vision of scientific
computer programming,
imaging and medical
prototyping circuits, neat
visualization is
electronics type of stuff.”
brought to life and
Hoefle’s electronics
made a memorable
are arresting in sight
experience for
and sound. A vintage
gallery viewers.
polygraph machine
Assistant
sits, tentacles and knobs unmoving, up against
Professor of Art
a corner wall. “There is something so seductive
Kelly Harrington
about pulling levers and pushing buttons,” Hoefle
said the faculty
explains. The polygraph machine is coupled with
exhibit showcased
three large-dialed television sets, each of them
“the diversity of not
displaying Hoefel’s digital and analog video designs.
only media utilized
And the audiovisual they emit are out of this world,
and art forms
so to speak. Churning gears, images of a head
created within the
replacement surgery, and flickering light beams
department, but also
are brought to life through Hoefle’s sound artistry
the various themes
in ominous frequencies, pulsating throbs, and
and research topics
shimmering digital tones.
that each faculty
Hoefle explains in her artistic statement that,
member is currently
“in addition to traditional methods of art-making,
engaged in.” She
I use digital tools that are adaptable through
noted the importance
programming, and have the potential to create
of students having
interactive experiences with the viewer.”
the opportunity to
Professor Krista Hoefle’s artwork is on display in the Hammes
Hoefle’s interest in cyborg feminism and science
see their professors’
Gallery, part of the faculty exhibition this spring.
fiction led her to utilize sounds and images that are
work. As students
reminiscent of old monster and mad scientist movies, which
become more familiar with their professors’ various research
add to the theme of the cyborg experience. In particular, on
areas, she says, it encourages them to explore and develop
one television set, Hoefle remixes the audio and visual of the
interests of their own.
1958 film Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
The Department of Art Faculty Exhibition showcased work
The body parts you find inside the space, which Hoefle
from six other professors. Bill Sandusky, Julie Tourtillotte,
thinks of almost like a body, belong to the 50-foot woman.
Sandra Ginter, Sheilah Wilson, Kelly Harrington, and Marcia
Upon entering the installation, one of the first things you see
Rickard were all featured artists along with Hoefle.
—Kristen Edelen ’09, Courier intern
COURIER
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Spring 2009
17
avenuenews
avenuenews
Physiology and Dance: Bodies in Motion
Witnesses to a New Era
Anna Frantz ‘11 with friends at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration.
Left to right: Anna Frantz , Johnathan Richardson (Indiana University),
Renee Gonzalez ‘09, Tara Brennan (Quinnipiac College), Leila El-Kara (UCLA)
Cold weather didn’t keep Saint Mary’s students from
venturing to Washington, D.C. on January 20th to witness
the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th president of
the United States. “Words cannot begin to describe what it
was like to be able to stand in the National Mall as President
Obama was being sworn into office,” says junior Aimee
Cunniff of Park City, Utah. Cunniff is a business major who
says she knew she was going to attend the Inauguration since
November 4, the night Obama won the election. “After seeing
Obama win that night, I decided I wanted to be a part of the
history and excitement,” says Cunniff.
Social work major Anna Frantz ’11 was not only present
at the Inauguration, but she also attended the “We Are One”
concert the Sunday before, as well as a ball afterward held by
the University Presidential Inaugural Conference, of which
she was a guest. Frantz describes the atmosphere at the
Inauguration as “one of its own,” with people being friendly,
happy, and excited to witness history. “I believe that no
matter what race, religion, or party you are you can still agree
that seeing the first African American president take the oath
is a once in a lifetime experience.”
Psychology major Brittany Dian ’12 says of her experience
that, “I will always remember the surreal feeling I had
standing in the midst of millions of people, all witnessing an
event that will be talked about for years to come.” The Tinley
Park, Ill., native also attended the Inauguration as part of the
University Presidential Inaugural Conference.
Blaine Nolan ’10 was already in Washington, D.C.,
spending the semester there attending American University
three days a week and interning two days a week for South
Bend congressman Joe Donnelly. She too attended events
surrounding the Inauguration, but says of the top-billed
event, “It was incredible. I have never felt such excitement.”
Nolan was active throughout the campaign season, as
the president of the College Democrats at Saint Mary’s, and
as a member of the political science club. Her career plans
include attending graduate school for public policy and then
moving to Washington, D.C., where she hopes to work on
Capitol Hill.
This February Saint Mary’s dance
students performed in the College’s
annual Dance Arts program. One
body in motion was aspiring marine
biologist Tara Strong. The junior
biology major is working toward
minors in dance and chemistry. She
says her three areas of study are
more related than one might think.
“Right now I am in a human
physiology class and learning all
about the body,” Strong explains.
“This knowledge allows me to fully
understand and appreciate the
movement required for dancing
in a technique class, all the way to
the different bodily responses and
signals when performing on stage.”
This year’s dance program, titled
“Dancing Salmagundi,” showcased
several genres of dance including
ballet, jazz, modern, pointe, and
dance theatre. Strong performed in four numbers. One piece,
entitled “Eupnea,” is a modern dance created by Strong’s
fellow biology major Jen La Vigne ’09. Strong explains, “She
incorporated her biology knowledge and created a piece
about cellular respiration. It is a modern dance, and many of
the formations we make are based on the Krebs cycle.”
While Strong plans to dance throughout her life and
maybe own a studio someday, she has scientific career
aspirations too. “I would like to go on to graduate school
for marine biology and go wherever that takes me,” says
Strong. This summer, she will conduct research for her senior
comprehensive project on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua.
The Second Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Commemorative March
“As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always
march ahead.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963
Nearly a half-century later, King’s message of hope
continues to inspire students, faculty, and staff of Saint
Mary’s College, who came together to pay homage to King on
his birthday.
Following a panel discussion on non-violence and civil
rights activism, the Sisters of Nefertiti, a student club that
celebrates African American culture and history, and Campus
Ministry sponsored a candlelit march in honor of King on
January 19. The entire college and public community was
invited to gather in the Student Center Atrium for an opening
ceremony. LaQuay Boone ’10, president of Sisters of Nefertiti,
welcomed the attendees. Jacquitta Martin ’12 prayed over
the event. Lynn Coleman, the assistant to the mayor of South
Bend, explained the historic significance of the Martin Luther
King, Jr., march occurring one day before President Obama’s
inauguration. Adriana Rodriguez ’10, president of the Student
Diversity Board, spoke about why it was important to march.
Concluding the opening ceremony, Kristle Hodges ’10 led the
group in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” After leaving the
warmth of the Student Center, each marcher shared a single
flame, passed from one hand to the next.
18
COURIER
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Spring 2009
At 5:30 p.m., the
sun was setting
and snow flurries
were falling, but the
marchers advanced
onward and set the
campus aglow with
their beacons of light
and song. Even a
student who could
not see the procession
from their dorm room
or library cubicle
would have heard it.
The marchers’ voices
rose from the icy
sidewalks to the tops
of buildings as the
group sang in unison
“We Shall Overcome”
all the way to Haggar
Parlor. There, participants listened to reflections from
President Carol Ann Mooney and a choral reading of King’s
“Letter From Birmingham Jail,” directed by Professor Katie
Sullivan.
—Jessica Huang ’09, Courier Intern
COURIER
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Spring 2009
19
forthe record
Alumnae Deaths
Sister Marie Helene Farrer CSC ’55,
December 8, 2008.
Grace Burke Boemer ’31, mother of
Elizabeth M. Boemer ’70, Jane Boemer
Foster ’71, and Ellen Boemer Loring ’73,
sister of the late Margaret Burke Gude
’33, aunt of Sister Mary Louise Gude
CSC ’63 and Sheila Burke Vollman
’62, sister-in-law of the late Margaret
Katholing Burke ’35, January 9, 2008.
Alana Moynahan Rosshirt ’55, aunt
of Laura K. Moynahan ‘82, sister-in-law
of Virginia Thomas Moynahan ’58,
January 16, 2009. Rosshirt was the
editor of the Courier in 1956, and later
served as president of the Alumnae
Board.
Dorothy Jane Pryor Armel ‘38,
mother of Nancy Armel Maddock ‘63
and Susan Armel Haley ‘66, twin sister
of the late Betty Pryor Marzano ’38,
grandmother of Ann-Marie Haley Berg
’91, aunt of Beth Marzano Fleming ‘77,
July 16, 2008.
Kathryn Walsh Burns ’38, October
17, 2008.
Lorraine O’Hara Purdy ’39, April 21,
2008.
Agnes Lauck Darko ’42,
grandmother of Laura Darko Flight ‘93,
September 15, 2008.
Regina Neville Hamilton ’44,
October 2, 2008.
Carolyn Murray Powley ’44, mother
of Carolyn Powley Head ‘67, and Jean
Powley Murphy ‘79, sister of Jo Anne
Murray Libert ‘51, aunt of Cathleen
Libert Fourman ‘77, Mary Ann Murray
Kimball ‘79, Eileen Murray Froehlke
‘81, and Stephanie Libert Mauger ‘90,
great aunt of Meaghan Froehlke ‘06,
November 10, 2008.
Marietta Hart Fitzgerald ’46,
grandmother of Emily Fitzgerald ’09,
December 13, 2008.
Mary Suzanne “Suzi” Scanlon Rynn
’58, October 2, 2008.
Mary Charlotte Carroll Daniel ’65,
December 3, 2008.
Virginia R. Manley ’69, December
7, 2008.
Mary Ann Kerins ’72, December 29,
2008.
Mary Barany Birder ’51, sister of
Anne Barany Monserez ‘48, November
25, 2008.
COURIER
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Spring 2009
Elige “EG” Hannah, III, husband of
Allison Murphy Hannah ’95, December
19, 2008.
Cyril P. Hughes, husband of Deanna
Derwin Hughes ’62, March 27, 2007.
Carolyn Prosser, mother of Margaret
Prosser Brown ’87 and sister of
Marianne McCrudden Walters ’57,
October 6. 2008.
Timothy J. “Tim” Reddy, husband of
Joan Gundlach Reddy ’86, February
17, 2008.
George F. Restovich, husband of
Helen J. Reichert Restovich ’65, and
father of Catherine Restovich Whitton
’92, October 3, 2008.
Jennifer Herzog Clark ’90, January
19, 2009.
Susan J. Killion, daughter of Mary
Wieland Scheetz ’54, January 23, 2009.
Faculty Deaths
Martha Bourgon Kozmer, mother
of Jeanne Kozmer Marszalek ’64 and
Marilyn Kozmer Sommers ’66, January
6, 2009.
Pamela J. Rohrmann, sister of
Melinda Rohrmann Lorenzen ’66,
November 9, 2008.
Rita Cassidy, (Associate Professor,
History Department, 1961–1980)
January 3, 2009.
Family Deaths
Harriet J. BonDurant, grandmother
of Margaret Stoller BonDurant ’05,
December 6, 2008.
John J. “Buck” Borich, stepfather of
Leslie Zielinski ’99, November 15, 2008.
John L. Carey, father of Deborah M.
Carey ’81, January 16, 2009.
Dr. Theodore M. Chrobak, father
of Vickyann Chrobak Sadowski ’72,
October 2008.
Geraldine Posvic Norris ’50, April
22, 2008.
Joseph Garritano, father of
Mary Garritano Halbritter ’70 and
grandfather of Katherine Halbritter ’99,
January 18, 2009.
William S. Plough, grandfather of
Kathleen Maxbauer McNulty ’97, Lisa
Maxbauer Price ’99 and Jill Maxbauer
Niemi ’03, December 16, 2008.
Maria Ayala Rodarte, mother of
Lucia Rodarte Madrid ’72, November
22, 2008.
Dorothy Edwards Waddington ’47,
October 5, 2008.
Sister M. Wilfrida Peabody CSC ’49,
January 11, 2009.
Christopher Joseph Donovan, son
of Jane O’Boyle Donovan ’66, and
nephew of Kathleen O’Boyle Kearney
’62, March 19, 2008.
Hope Lee Phernetton, October 24,
2008 and Chace Adam Phernetton,
October 29, 2008, infant niece and
nephew of Shannon Blair Olsen ’92.
Vivian N. Elortegui Zapfel ’78,
November 8, 2008.
Adele Castle, mother of Elizabeth
Castle Chapman ’80, December 11,
2008.
Joanne Maloy Moore ’48, mother
of Patricia Moore SMC-ND ‘75, sister
of Molly Maloy Griffin ‘55 and aunt of
Kathleen M. Griffin ‘81, December 6,
2008.
Joseph F. Dillon Sr., husband of
Barbara Donahue Dillon ’48, November
22, 2008.
Robert J. Ketchum, father of
Kathleen Ketchum ’06, October 14,
2008.
Sister M. Rosaleen Dunleavy CSC
’47, aunt of Tamara Malopsy Smith ‘92,
December 18, 2008.
Jeanne Remlinger Clark ’48, mother
of Mary Clark Bidwell ’79 and Julie
Clark Herrmann ’87, December 14,
2008.
20
forthe record
Dorothy Linnig Crimmins, mother of
Marilyn Crimmins Benkelman ’75 and
sister of Carolyn Linnig O’Rourke ’55,
January 26, 2009.
Daniel J. Culhane, husband of Mary
Baker Culhane ’57, father of Kathleen
Culhane Battis ’83, and brother-in-law
of Marcia Baker Schug ’58, October
26, 2008.
Lewis Cusano, father of JoAnn
Cusano Szewczyk ’77, October 31,
2008.
Julia F. Danford, mother of Cynthia
A. Danford ’79, January 10, 2009.
Maxine “Mickey” Davis, grandmother
of Angela Comfort ’07, October 18,
2008.
Leo B. Kunkel ND ’48, father of
Catherine Kunkel Forslund ’83, May 5,
2008.
Col. John W. Lacey, (USAF retired),
father of Joan Lacey Egan ’62, Anne
Lacey Hoffman ’63 and Carol Lacey
Foley ’72, uncle of Sara Johnson Walz
’65, and great uncle of Elizabeth Walz
Carmody ’91, September 14, 2008.
Luke P. LaValle III, ND ’99, son of
Nancy Wagner LaValle ’65, December
31, 2008.
Ralph J. Liguori, father of Claudia M.
Liguori ’79, November 22, 2008.
William J. Maxbauer, grandfather
of Kathleen Maxbauer McNulty ’97,
Lisa Maxbauer Price ’99, Jill Maxbauer
Niemi ’03, and Audra Maxbauer ’07,
uncle and great-uncle to several other
Belles, March 14, 2008.
John Joseph McCracken, young
son of Annette Henry McCracken ’88,
November 7, 2008.
Daniel E. Martin, father of Jeanne M.
Martin ’81 and uncle of Maura Martin
Smith ’73 and Colleen Burns Cuscaden
’87, January 20, 2009.
George J. McHugh III, father of
Honey McHugh ’78, May 12, 2008.
John J. McInerney, father of Mary
McInerney Meade ’82, July 4, 2008.
Jack B. Norris, father of Nikie Norris
Hamilton ’89, November 1, 2008.
Herbert “Herb” Score, husband of
Nancy McNamara Score ’57, November
11, 2008.
John D. “Dan” Sherman, husband
of Gretchen Hartman Sherman ’55,
December 15, 2008.
John J. Sweeney, Jr., husband
of Mary Beth Allen Sweeney ’64,
September 19, 2008.
Donald R. Taylor, husband of
Lorraine N. Taylor ’72, October 30, 2008.
Otto E. Tempel, father of Linda M.
Tempel ’76, April 14, 2008.
Corinne H. Wales, former part-time
instructor in Nursing from 1984–1985,
mother of Kathrene Wales ’76,
November 29, 2008.
Jay A. West, father of Angela Maria
West ’02, January 1, 2009.
Curtis Wilson Sr., father of Almira
Wilson Cann ’69, December 1, 2008.
Marilyn Davenport Carder Woody,
grandmother of Theresa Carder
Martinez ’02 and Dorothy Carder ’03,
June 14, 2008.
Marriages
Mary Fran Gleason-O’Connor ’66
and John O’Connor, August 3, 2008.
Christine Jack Blum ’86 and Philip,
October 12, 2008.
Sheila Feeley Dodds ’89 and John,
June 21, 2008.
Kristy King Zadrazil ’08 and Chad,
July 12, 2008.
Erin Kelly LaCoste ’91 and Jody,
March 1, 2008.
Sarah Sullivan Bigelow ’96 and
Nicholas ND ’96: Sarah Jolenne,
January 16, 2009.
Births & Adoptions
Jennifer Paluszak Hadden ’96 and J.
B.: Harold Augustus, November 2, 2008.
Elizabeth Urban Cody ’96 and Ryan
Matthew, October 18, 2008.
Angela Kelver Hall ’97 and Bryan,
June 7, 2008.
Kelley Hart Rendziperis ’00 and
George, November 15, 2008.
Jennifer Nall Weinacht ’00 and
Christopher, July 12, 2008.
Mandy Schomas Soderstrom ’02
and Daniel, October 11, 2008.
Maureen Dempsey Alfermann ’04
and Nick, April 12, 2008.
Kathleen “Katie” Dillon McLeod ’04
and Christian, June 21, 2008.
Molly Welton Boyle ’05 and Kevin
Patrick ND ’05, November 1, 2008.
Lisa Eileen Chester Briggs ’05 and
Aaron, August 26, 2007.
Alison Golubski Bauer ’07 and Alex,
July 5, 2008.
Elizabeth Sweeney Rykaczewski ’89
and David: Mark David, October 7,
2008.
Shannon Swafford Levin ’00 and
Sean: Lucy Leigh, July 29, 2008.
Kelly Kilmer Mullagh ’96 and Kelly:
Abigail Louise, October 14, 2008.
Erin McNally-Poche ’90 and Robert
Poche: Katharine Casey, June 7, 2008.
Mia Pavlik Koch ’97 and Douglas:
Henry, August 28, 2008.
Jeanine Cook Lamb ’91 and John:
Alana Margarit, December 15, 2008.
Courtney Reagan Crawford ’98 and
William ND ’98: Millicent Elizabeth,
December 5, 2008.
Michaeline Feldman Barnes ’92 and
Lee: Jillian Sidney, December 5, 2008.
Nicole Dugan May ’92 and Phillip:
Sara Elizabeth, September 17, 2007.
Celynn Krueger McClarrinon ’92 and
Scott: Mary Celine, November 11, 2008.
Erin Peter Wolf ’94 and Jacob:
Samuel Joseph, October 13, 2008.
Elizabeth May Smith ’98 and David:
Mia Therese, August 26, 2008.
Holly Hosinski Busick ’99 and
Michael: Brady Jonathan, October 7,
2008.
Michelle Harbinak Shapiro ’00 and
Jared: Ayla Rae, November 15, 2008.
Amy Dooms Taylor ’01 and John:
Morgan Rebecca, November 22, 2008.
Karen Higley Szpak ’03 and Jerry:
Owen Anthony, October 2, 2008.
Anne Bernardin Wenderoth ’03 and
Brad: Ian Asher, December 1, 2008.
Margaret Garigliano Busam ’04
and Luke ND ’04: Joshua Gabriel,
November 5, 2008.
Stevi Flowers Kovalik ’04 and Eddie
ND ’04: Beatrice Rose, January 8, 2008.
Jill Fenstermaker Stowers ’99 and
Scott: John William, October 20, 2008.
Carolyn Withers Patterson ’95 and
Joe: Annabelle Grace, October 29,
2008.
Kathryn Goolsby Flavin ’00 and
Edward: Margaret “Maggie” Grace,
March 13, 2007 and Lillian “Lily” Maeve,
October 27, 2008.
Mary Horner Thomas ’95 and
Edward: Adrianne Elizabeth, June 6,
2008.
Alison Wade Kennedy ’00 and
Terrence ND ’96: Terrence Luke,
October 9, 2008.
Rita M. Cassidy
April 14, 1915–January 3, 2009
Associate Professor Rita Cassidy passed away on January
3, 2009. Cassidy came to Saint Mary’s in 1961 to introduce
a program in African Studies, and taught in the History
Department until she retired in 1980. In her retirement,
Cassidy spent one year abroad as a counselor for the Saint
Mary’s Rome Program, and afterward remained with the
College for two more years, working as a consultant in the
administration on a project-to-project basis from 1981 to
1983. Current department chair of history for the college,
Associate Professor Kelly Hamilton, was a student of Cassidy’s
in the 1970s, and Hamilton remembers her as a “feisty,
principled woman, who was way ahead of her times relative
to civil rights, equal opportunity, and interest in issues of
diversity.”
Cassidy served the College for 22 years. Prior to Saint
Mary’s, Cassidy spent two years teaching at University College
in Lesotho, South Africa. This experience coupled with her
additional research opportunities to revisit Africa developed
Cassidy’s specialized interest in African studies. She was a
pioneer in organizing and conducting programs in AfroAmerican history and culture for school systems in South
Bend and Elkhart. Her programs were even further developed
for the police departments of St. Joseph County as a method
of in-service training. Cassidy was presented the Spes Unica
award on May 4, 1974, at the president’s dinner. The award,
which recognizes a faculty member’s eminent service to the
college in some particular aspect of its development, read,
“Dr. Cassidy’s constant concern for the attention to the needs
and well-being of each of her students have won her their
respect, admiration, and friendship. In many ways, she is a
prototype of what the Christian educator should be.”
—Kristen Edelen ’09, Courier intern
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21
clubnews
Buffalo and Western
New York
Members of the book club
attended a lecture in the University of
Buffalo’s Distinguished Speakers Series
on November 16, 2008. The guest
speaker was Khalid Hosseini, author
of The Kite Runner. (The book club
had previously read and discussed
the book.) The group discussed the
lecture over coffee and dessert later
that evening.
A trip to the Shaw Festival in
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada is
being planned for May 2009. Please
remember to send 2008-2009 dues!
For more information, please contact
Nancy Dobson at (716) 632-7392.
Cleveland
The Cleveland Club welcomed
spring with its annual meeting and
a book discussion on April 15. Katie
McVoy ’03 welcomed alumnae to
her house for this event. Upcoming
events were discussed including a
service project and fundraising for the
Club. After the meeting, The Memory
Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
produced interesting discussion by
attending alumnae. Many thanks
to Katie for hosting and to all who
attended. It was a great turnout.
Events to look forward to include a
Founders’ Day celebration in October
and a Cookie Exchange in December.
Watch your e-mail and the club Web
site for information about these and
other upcoming events. For more
information, contact Cheri Petride
Miller ’79 at clmiller8457@earthlink.net
or (440) 526-8966.
Colorado
The first 2009 event for the
Colorado Alumnae Club will be April
25; we will be having a “care package”
party in Colorado Springs, at the home
of Kelly O’Brien, ’90.
We’re planning to have events
along the I-25 corridor, from Colorado
Springs, in the south, where this
first one will be held, to Golden, in
the north, where our Founders’ Day
celebration will be held. We hope
this will be convenient for as many
alumnae as possible to participate in at
least one event during the year.
22
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clubnews
For more information, please
contact Sheila Flynn Boone, ’65, at
sfbmfb@comcast.net.
clubclips clubclips clubclips
Dallas/Fort Worth
Dallas/Fort Worth alumnae and
significant others gathered together to
celebrate the coming of the holidays
at their annual Christmas Mass &
Dinner held on December 8, the Feast
of the Immaculate Conception. Many
thanks to Kevin and Ellen Neuhoff
Elpers ’80 for graciously hosting the
event.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia area alumnae were
treated to an evening with Adriana
Trigiani ’81 at a signing of her new
book Very Valentine. The crowd was
entertained by Adriana’s anecdotes
and accounts of writing this new book.
She signed everyone’s edition, as well
as her page on the SMC yearbook!
The club is looking forward to an
early spring event at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art—a private guided tour
of Cezanne and Beyond. Philadelphia
is the only worldwide venue for this
exhibit, so don’t miss it!
For information or suggestions for
club activities, please contact Katie
Smith, krsmith1014@yahoo.com or
(215) 280-1122.
Pittsburgh
The New Year got off to a rousing
start for the Pittsburgh Club. Having
completed three years of service,
the members of the Club’s Board of
Directors have been reorganized. Leslie
Kruger, who has diligently served the
Club as Director of the Board, stepped
down, and Colleen Miles, the current
Club Communication Coordinator and
member of the Board, took her place.
Kathryn Harrison, Board member,
is the new Club Communication
Coordinator. The Board would like
to wholeheartedly thank Leslie for
her hard work in resurrecting the
Pittsburgh Club and tirelessly working
for the Club’s success.
This spring, Pittsburgh alumnae
can look forward to celebrating
Mother’s Day early. On Saturday, May
9, the Club will host its annual spring
event. This year we will be having
Philadelphia area alumnae attended a book signing for Adriana
Trigiani’s new book. From left to right: Susan Tate Fitzgerald ’81, Bobbie
Schnaus McCarthy ’66, Katie Smith ’93, Ann Kiefer Casey ’83, Annabelle
Logue Curran ’74, with Adriana Trigiani ’81
a Mothers & Daughters Tea at the
Omni-William Penn Hotel. Mothers old
and young, daughters old and young,
grandmothers, and sisters are all
invited. Be sure to look in your mailbox
for important information regarding
this fun celebration.
Since starting the Club back up
in 2006, the Board of Directors of the
Pittsburgh Alumnae Club have been
working to create a comprehensive
directory of all Pittsburgh area
alumnae. In the Club’s most recent
newsletter you will find a form to fill
out which will help us in creating this
document. Please take time to fill it
out, or contact Colleen or Kathryn with
your new information, so that we can
successfully complete the directory.
If you have any questions about
the Club, or wish to become more
involved, please contact Kathryn
Harrison at klharrison11@gmail.com or
Colleen Miles at colleenbmiles@gmail.
com for more information.
klk9906@yahoo.com to join the club!
St. Louis
In February, members of the
South Bend Alumnae Club gathered
on campus for a tour of Spes Unica
Hall, the new academic building
on campus. Alumnae were quite
The St. Louis club is planning
a happy hour in March but details
have not been finalized. Please e-mail
impressed by the modern classrooms,
office spaces, and technological
capabilities along with common areas
where students and faculty can gather
(including a café, a reflection room,
and a second-floor patio). Following
the tour, the Club hosted a Valentine’s
Day party for its local Saint Mary’s
students, with cookies, punch, and
cocoa for everyone to enjoy.
Later that same month, the club
arranged to cater the Mom’s Support
Group sponsored for former residents
of Hannah’s House. After dinner, while
the mothers participated in a group
discussion about topics related to
women and children, alumnae helped
with child care.
Speaking of moms, the club will
be organizing a monthly Mom’s play
group for local alumnae. If you are
interested in participating or want
information on how to get more
involved with the club, please contact
Club president, Janet Horvath at
jghorvath@netzero.com or (219)7784941.
Utah
The Utah Club had a small and very
good gathering in Park City hosted by
Holy Cross Ministries on November 22.
We met for lunch at the home of the
Sisters of the Holy Cross, and instead of
gifts to exchange, members donated
diapers for clients served by Holy Cross
Ministries. Ten alumnae were able to
attend. Sister Cathy Kamphaus CSC
updated the club members on new
buildings on the campus. Afterward,
some members visited the St. Mary’s
Parish Park City Boutique where
the Holy Cross Ministries Women’s
Microbusiness Project had a booth.
Submitted by Sister Mary Ann
Pajakowski CSC ’69
clubclips clubclips clubclips clubclips clubclips clubclips clubclips
San Francisco
The Saint Mary’s Alumnae Club
of the San Francisco Bay Area is
organizing an Easter Egg Hunt on April
4th with KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise
Now), a volunteer-led organization
that provides one-to-one recreational
opportunities for children and young
adults with mental and physical
disabilities. SMC Alumnae Jen Senecal
’01 is the Executive Director of KEEN.
The hunt will take place from 11 am–1
pm at Speedway Meadow in Golden
Gate Park. Volunteers are needed
to arrive at 10:30 am to help hide
eggs and do other set-up. If you’re
interested in volunteering or getting
involved with the Club in other ways,
please contact Michelle Lagos at
michellelago@gmail.com
South Bend
Dallas/Fort Worth. Back row, left to right: Andrea Sondag Schweitzer ’00, Mary
Jane Neuhoff Brezette ’85, Carolyn Neuhoff Shaw ’83, Carole Dziminski Klaudt
’83, Mary Beth Beauchamp Berry ’87, Linda Kawecki ’79, Tia Barrett Bisignano
’70, Cynthia Rodriguez ’05, Patty Dunlevy Watson ’88, Erin Krombach Groves ’05,
Lettie Albright Muckley ’83, Maura Nugent Bardsley ’77, Emilie DesJardins ’05,
Lydia Haggar Novakov ’72, Nancy Rix Kraft ’77, Ellen McQuillan Drake ’92. Front
row, left to right: Ellen Neuhoff Elpers ’80, Hayley Dawson-Owens ’02, Jeannette
Friedewald Lynch ’64, Mary Holland ’05, Jennifer Kacarab Holloran ’92
COURIER
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classnews
’36
Julia Mendez Rawak
62 Hillside Road
Greenwich, CT 06830
(203) 869-2555
From the Courier Office: Julia
Mendez Rawak’s son, Steve Hatch,
called to let us know that his mother
is doing well. She fell and broke her
hip last spring and is bedridden, but is
still in her own home with a full-time
nurse. Steve checks in with her each
day.
As of December 2008, Julia is still
mentally strong and vibrant, wanting
to connect with any of her classmates.
She reads the paper and is current on
all that is going on in the world.
Julia turned 94 years young on
Aug. 20, and enjoys visiting with her
daughter, Kathy Hatch Barrett; friends
who drop by; her parish priest; and her
doctor.
Julia has served as reporter for
the Class of 1936 for many years.
She has devoted time and energy to
the benefit of Saint Mary’s and her
classmates. If any of you would like to
contact her, she would love to hear
from you. Just send your notes to
the Alumnae Office and they will be
forwarded to her.
’40
Mary Fran Meekison
318 W. Washington Street
Napoleon, OH 46545-0253
(419) 592-659
I am writing this news on
Inauguration Day 2009. America is
beginning a new chapter of history.
Our small class, fewer than 35, is
preparing for our exit from Courier
and the world at large. We are looking
forward to a 1940 class reunion with
the late Jean Wolf Corby as our
cheerleader…in the future. There is
always the anticipation of another SMC
party…in this world or the next.
Those of us on “terra ferma’’ have
reason to toot our class horns. To
date, we have marched through the
pages of Courier without missing
a beat. Our Class of ’40 columns
have been published without a gap.
This is longer than any other class
in the history of Saint Mary’s. After
graduation, Elizabeth Zeindler
Gaspar wrote our class news. In
November 1944, our lovable first
editor, Marion McCandless, Class of
1900, asked me to become your class
news reporter. I am beginning my 65th
year of reporting—without missing
one assignment. This record-breaking
fact is due to the enduring spirit of
the Class of ’40. You, who have helped
keep this column alive, have gifted our
24
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Spring 2009
classnews
class. Your shared news has enriched
other classes that are silent.
I am told that we have followers
of our class news from across the way
(at ND). We are part of SMC’s evolving
history. So….applause, applause for
the Class of ’40 loyalists—sharing your
adventures in our class columns for
69 years.
As I was writing this column,
Dorothy Ann Kirley Dooley
telephoned. Though she is dealing
with a multitude of health problems,
her interest in Saint Mary’s remains
focused. She has two sons, Steven
and Patrick, who are living near her in
Kewanee, Ill. Patrick graduated in the
same ND class as my son, David. There
are allegiances and clan connections
among many of our Class of ’40 on
both sides of the road.
Marty Abberger Daly ’41,
Sacramento, Calif., reports that her
days are filled with bridge, meetings,
shopping, and visiting. Her six children
are attentive. The tragic loss of her
son three years ago draws on her
heart. Yet, thinking of others, she
plays the piano for the residents of
her Regency Park’s Assisted Living
complex for several hours a day. This
pleases the residents and it keeps
Marty in practice. Her goodness and
graciousness continues.
Maggie Waltman Smith,
daughter of the late Max Trompeter
Waltman, deserves a first class salute
as our class child. Maggie has stayed
connected to us through our class
column. Her son, Christopher, 26 years
old, remembers his appearance at our
Class of ’40 reunion picnic in 1985.
It was his grandmother’s last SMC
reunion. Even though Max has been
with God more than a decade, her
daughter and grandson still search for
news of ’40 and ’76.
Prescription for old age: “return to
your roots.’’ Last October, I drove alone
to our old stomping grounds, Saint
Mary’s and ND. It was great to review
old memories and our association
with special friends. While driving
on Douglas, a small deer dashed
across the road from the woods in
the direction of Moreau Seminary.
I smiled, as this is the same woods
where I went hunting with a Notre
Dame friend 70 years ago. Walking
on both campuses I thought of all of
you and the fun we had in spite of
rigid restrictions. At the Grotto, I lit a
candle for the intentions of all of our
class. It was there that I caught sight of
an elderly Holy Cross nun. As she left
the Grotto with her walker, she and
her companion headed back to SMC
along the long path to her convent.
Quickly, I ran over to introduce myself.
This nun greeted me warmly, along
with her helpmate. I had met Sister
Marillo, C.S.C. and Jeanette Friedheim
Burdell ’87. We had a brief visit. I
asked them to relay my greetings to
Sister Basil Anthony ’46. Watching
the two of them support each other,
I witnessed a loving example of SMC
alumnae loyalty. Please let me know
what is happening in your individual
lives. Class of ’40 adult children are
encouraged to respond as well.
’42
Bunny Wagner Barker
704 Circle Hill Road
Louisville, KY 40207-3627
(502) 895-7732
bunnybarker@insightbb.com
Since I reported to you last, in July
I went on a three-day trip to St. Louis
with a group from United Crescent
Hill Ministries. Colette Dumstorf was
my roommate. When we visited the
botanical gardens, my granddaughter,
Ashley Clark Bass ’98, and her two
sons, Collin, 6, and Evan, 4, came to
meet us. On July 14, Ashley came to
town with Collin and Evan. They visited
us, and I had pictures taken with all
four great-grandchildren, although the
photos managed to evade us when
the time came to print our Christmas
card.
August was Cumberland time. My
son Kenny, ND ’69, his wife, Mary, and
son, Steve, came from California. Mary’s
son, Tom, and his wife, Diane, flew in
from Minneapolis. Grandson Kenneth
and his wife, Cori, couldn’t get away.
Cori had fallen and broken her foot—
she was on crutches. Jose and Bethany
Barker Ronchetta, both ND ’03, drove
down from Chicago. Granddaughter
Lauren and her children were here. All
came to my house for Kenny’s favorite
dinner on Aug. 7. Kristen McNerney,
my granddaughter, had organized
all the food each was to bring. The
rented houseboat was fabulous—six
bedrooms, complete with hot tub
on the top of the boat. My daughter,
Esther, her son, Gavin, and I slept in the
Lodge. Kenny would come for us in
the ski boat each morning and return
us home each night. On Saturday,
Rod, Esther’s husband, drove in and
we met him at Holy Spirit Church in
Jamestown (it is a Mission Church
of our Holy Spirit Church here in
Louisville). The priest remembered that
I took care of the flowers at Holy Spirit
when he was stationed there a few
years ago.
On New Year’s Eve, Floy Terstegge
Meagher ’43 entertained a group of
old friends. Her daughter, Maureen
Meagher Orsini ’85, husband Tony,
and two sons came from Chicago to
cater and serve a delicious dinner to
us. After dining, we had a champagne
toast and sang Auld Lang Syne about 9
p.m., then went home like 80-year-olds
should! We’re all grateful to Floy for
keeping her tradition of a New Year’s
Eve Party alive!
I received Christmas cards from
some of our S.M.C. classmates. Miriam
Marshall Hemphill and Mary Mayle
Hickey sent out nice handwritten
notes. I also heard from Ann Sheets
Butler and Marg Kotte O’Hara. Pat
Nolan McLaughlin was pictured
on the front of her card, which was
a pleasure to see. Amy Ryan and
husband Jerry ND ’41 looked great on
the first page of their card, then the
words of “High Flight” by John Gillespie
Magee, Jr. with a faint picture of a
plane (Jerry is a pilot). Bob ND ’40 and
Kay Houser Sanford sent their usual
Merry Christmas letter, which gave us
a great report of their 2008. I received
two e-mails, one from Miriam
Hemphill and one from Pinkie Wolff
Stevenson.
If any of you use the computer,
please send me an e-mail,
bunnybarker@insightbb.com. I’m
always grateful for news!
Mary Lucia Wolff Stevenson
writes: “One of the results of my last
stroke was the forgetting of various
things, including how to use my
computer. A few days ago, I had a
call from Cleo Young in Long Beach,
Cal. She is getting along well. Her
husband, Roger ND ’42, passed away
nearly two years ago. I had a pleasant
surprise during Christmas when I had
an e-mail from Leona Kulka Jarabek.
I called her in her villa at a community
living facility in Ohio, which her two
daughters visit frequently. I’m feeling
fairly well, but wish I felt like I did last
year. Strokes take a lot out of you. I’d
still like to get back to the golf course
if I could regain my arm strength. Keep
in touch with me, and pray for my
return to good health.”
I hope all of you have a great 2009!
Please send me news!
REUNION June 4–7, 2009
’44
Mary Alice Wright Connolly
2501 Southwest Thornton
Des Moines, Iowa 50321
Jeanne Yuncker Klem always
has news for me. God bless you, dear
friend. She tells me Ginger Hienen
Swoyer has moved from her big
house and is far from well, as is her
husband, Len, who is now bedfast.
The golden years are not so shiny,
Ginger. Please call me. We will all keep
you and Len in our prayers. Jeanne
also reported that Marianne Iddings
Templeton has written a greeting to
her but included no news. Write again,
Marianne, and tell your news. Jeanne
and Bill ND ’45 are a blessed couple.
They are relatively well and are always
interested in news of Saint Mary’s.
In the mail, I found a beautiful
picture of Louise Peterman Prosser.
She was visiting Ireland, with a
granddaughter, and posed in a
jaunting cart near a picturesque lake.
Weesie, you’re irrepressible! Thank
you for your youthful spirit and your
extreme photogenic qualities. It is
always a joy to hear from you.
Mary Jane Kane and I visited
in December. She’s doing well and
wanted a commitment from me for
Reunion. At first I hesitated, I don’t
know what I am doing tomorrow,
much less in June!!! Do you?
After talking to Jeanne Sohm
Thyberg, whom I see monthly for
lunch in Des Moines, we both decided
we would enjoy another reunion. We
hope to see all of you there!
Almarie Sackley Matthews seems
to change little through the years.
She is always good for visiting. She
hears occasionally from Marguerite
Shaughnessy Wittebort but had not
heard any recent news.
Another good visitor is Geraldine
Roche Fahey. Gerry told me about
Mary Coty Brown, who was in our
Freshman class and will be coming
to our reunion. Surprise! Surprise!
Mary lives in South Bend. She has five
children. We will learn more from Mary
in June.
It seems strange not to have news
from Mary Alice O’Laughlin. She’s
been in Mexico so many years, she
can dance a fandango on a sombrero!
Miss you, Alice…see you at Easter in
Chicago and at Reunion!
Another Mary Alice…Nevins
Sasso… didn’t have any news as she
had not yet attended the Chicago
Area Sewing Club. (No one has seen
anything they have sewn, but they do
lots of good visiting!) We will check at
Reunion.
Now for my last sad news about
two of my favorite friends…I am
devastated to write this. I delayed in
writing this, as I am still in a state of
extreme shock and sorrow. Dorothy
Abel Purcell died Oct. 3, 2008. She
was beloved by her husband Jim ND
’42 and her big family of 11 children.
We were good friends, Dot and I,
walking across campus from Angela
Hall to Le Mans. We enjoyed times
together, especially because of our
love of music and the theatre, in which
we were actively engaged. Dot and I
sang and laughed and discussed the
latest play on Broadway, and of course,
the latest play at Saint Mary’s. The Saint
Mary’s play was often directed by our
fellow classmate, Agnes Eckhardt
Nixon. It was a blessed time for Dot
and for me. She was a great friend, and
I shall miss her.
Carolyn Murray Powley died Nov.
10, 2008. We had known each other
the first two years we attended Saint
Mary’s. In 1941, I had decided not to
return to Saint Mary’s. That summer
I changed my mind and requested
to be readmitted. Carolyn had made
the same request. Because of the
late request, we were assigned to
room together in the store room in
the annex. We became roommates,
juniors, and great friends. It was a
happy, life-long alliance. I learned
much from her, and she said the same
of me. During these years, she met
soon-to-be Ensign Bill Powley…and, as
they say, the rest was history.
Another note about the news of
Dorothy Purcell…after Thanksgiving, I
went again to Florida for the Christmas
holidays. I was astounded to find in my
mailbox a letter from Dot written at
Easter 2008. It was a real surprise. My
eyes were so tear-filled I could scarcely
read. It was a lovely note…to wish me
another joy-filled holiday. Dot, I miss
you already. I loved you. God bless you.
As I said, I came to Ft. Lauderdale
right after Thanksgiving. I called
Carolyn…I did not know she had
died earlier in November. Receiving
no answer, I dialed the office where
she lived. I thought they could at least
tell me about her. A voice answered,
I identified myself, and they just said,
“Oh no, no, no.” with increasing despair.
Thinking I had gotten the wrong
number, I quickly hung up. I couldn’t
get Carolyn off my mind. It was as
if she was in the room with me…
speaking to me. It was uncanny…the
closeness I felt to her. Later, when I
learned she had died, I knew. She had
been with me. I strongly believe that.
These experiences…after their
deaths…Dot’s letter and the call to
Carolyn…proved to me again that
death is only prologue. The presence
of my friends is always in the moment.
My affection for these Saint Mary’s
women can never end. They will
always remain in my thoughts and
prayers. I have found it to be that way
with Saint Mary’s women.
Thank you, God, for sending me
back to Saint Mary’s.
From the Courier Office: George
and Mary Theresa Voll Coquillard
were selling their home in Vermont.
They put it on the market the first time
in the fall of 2007. Nothing—not a
single visit or offer. So, they took it off
the market during the winter, which
is not a great time to sell property in
snowy Vermont. This past summer,
they once again put their home on
the market. This time Mary Theresa
invoked the help of Blessed Basil
Anthony Moreau. Within two days,
they had a signed contract for 97%
of the asking price! Mary Theresa
attributes their good luck to the
intercession of Father Moreau.
’46
Irene Vodicka Monaghen
23933 Kaleb Drive
Corona, CA 92883
(951) 277-9605
Irene_m90720@yahoo.com
Happy 2009, everyone—though
by the time you receive this issue of
the Courier, it will be four months into
the new year. Writing this newsletter is
very difficult, as I hardly ever hear from
you, my dear classmates. I have many
ways for you to contact me. Please
give it a try.
Last May, I went to Wisconsin for
the 40th wedding anniversary of my
niece, Ronnie Vodicka Simon ’68,
and her husband, Denny ND ’68. All
my nieces were there, as well as my
brother, Al, a Notre Dame graduate,
and his wife, Eleanor Toffenetti
Vodicka ’45. All but one of their
girls—Vivian Vodicka Koralik ’67,
Veronica Vodicka Simon ’68, Valerie
(a graduate of Saint Norbert’s),
Cynthia Vodicka O’Kelley ’74, and
Laura Vodicka Sroka ’81—went to
Saint Mary’s.
This was a bad summer for me,
as my 18-year-old poodle, Abby, died
June 10, and my sister, Marion Vodicka
Casey, died June 16. Marion graduated
from Saint Mary’s in 1939. Her death
was very hard to take. Two of Marion’s
girls went to Saint Mary’s: Susan Casey
D’Amico ’65 and Liz Casey ’70.
Yesterday, I called Marianne Van
Drisse for some news. She keeps
herself very busy with her community
service work for the hospital and the
church. She sees Pat Dieckelman
often. She said Pat recently moved
into a very nice assisted living home in
Milwaukee.
I just talked to Lois Brown Smith
hoping to get some news. Lois went to
reunion at Saint Mary’s this year along
with her daughter, Irene. Lois is the
only one to write me a letter this year.
I really appreciate it.
Since I already talked to Marianne,
I thought that I should call Pat
Dieckelman and see how she liked her
home. She sounded so happy! It was
very uplifting talking to her. She said
that it was very cold in Milwaukee,
though—24 below zero! Here in
California it has been in the 80s. I prefer
the warm weather.
I have been very lucky that my
daughter, Renie, is living here. We
have a lot of fun together. She has me
over to dinner every night. I really am
spoiled. She says her job is taking care
of me.
This morning I stopped over to
see my friend of 66 years: Liz Stang
Drinkworth. It is so nice to have such
a close friend living here. Liz looks
exceptionally nice and likes to do a
lot of things that I do. I guess that is
why we have been friends so long!
She is busy now getting ready for her
granddaughter’s wedding in June.
I have tried several more
calls with no luck. Have a good
year and let me hear from you!
’48
Marguerite Chenal Jans
3900 Dundee Road #209
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 559-0543
Reunion started early for
Rosemary Kisgen Mullahey. In from
California, she was picked up by her
Chicago hostess, Katie McNamara
Monaghan, and driven north to Jim
Lovell’s restaurant in Lake Forest to visit
with Jean Bresnahan Kasian and her
husband, as well as Ann Dailey Locke
and me. Ann and Jean were unable to
go to South Bend, so we were happy
for this meeting. We even have a
photo with Jim Lovell, the astronaut,
who is the host for his son’s restaurant.
Eighteen of our classmates
attended Reunion. Three of
us—Jeanne Remlinger Clark, Ruth
Ollinger Harwood, and Rosie Gauer
Costa—came with their charming
daughters. Rosie has three daughters
who graduated from Saint Mary’s.
Busy Harriet Enneking Moster still
volunteers at the Cincinnati Zoo; her
trip to Iceland is her favorite foreign
destination.
Alice Koscielski Lesniewski
missed Reunion, as she was visiting her
son and his family out east. She wrote
that after graduating from Saint Mary’s
she earned a master’s degree at Notre
Dame and then worked in the South
Bend schools for 40 years.
Katie McNamara Monaghan
still lives in the same house in the
Edgebrook area of Chicago after
48 years. Bill died in 1998. Katie’s
daughters live in California and
Indianapolis with a husband, son, and
daughter each.
Rosie Gauer Costa says, “Jim
and I are still in the same home in
Springfield. Two daughters live in
Springfield, one lives in Joliet, and one
lives in Chicago. We lost our only son
in 1995 to a brain tumor. He was just
39. One of our two granddaughters
graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2007.
We were so blessed that our four girls
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
25
classnews
were able to attend Saint Mary’s.
Rita Hanley Hupp has been to
Ireland many times and is intrigued by
an elder hostel trip concentrating on
Ireland’s architecture and gardens.
Lila Chenal Milford and Bob ND
’41 still live in their home in Marion,
Ind. In spite of Bob’s increasing
dementia, Lila and her three in-town
children sponsored a great family
reunion—a whole week of picnicking,
swimming, boating, and fun!
Preparing musical programs for a
retirement home and for a University
of Chicago music group keeps Martha
Finke Faulhaber busy. She has also
written a book about the piano for
young readers.
Mary Lou Quinlan Loughlin is
looking forward to the fall weddings
of two of her granddaughters, one in
Napa Valley, the other in Baltimore.
Sally Fox Shannon is proud of her
son, who was named chief medical
officer of Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
Recently, Sally was in China before the
Olympics and observed many changes
since her last trip in 1986—particularly,
more cars and fewer bicycles.
Regina Milligan Sweeney came
from Cleveland. Her husband attended
the Notre Dame reunion, and we
learned that Regina’s volunteer work
life spanned 40 years serving on
behalf of persons with disabilities.
Her family includes ten children,
30 grandchildren, and three great
grandchildren.
This summer, Carrie Powers
Powell joined Harriet Enneking
Moster at the Vatican exhibit, which
was powerfully beautiful. None of
these treasures had been outside of
Italy before.
Dorothy Wick Cornwall’s
mother was a dear friend of Sister
Madeleva’s. They grew up in the same
town—Cumberland, Wisc.—and Sister
Madeleva encouraged Dorothy to
attend Saint Mary’s. Sister was always
eager to hear the hometown news
from Cumberland. Dorothy left early
Sunday morning to fly from South
Bend to Minneapolis.
Mary Danielson Denucci added
much good cheer to our group. We
were happy as well to see Kathleen
McCaffery Ward, from South Bend,
who rounded out our group of 18.
From the Courier Office: Carrie
Powers Powell writes: “Earlier this
summer, I took a two-week tour with
my oldest daughter (who went to SMC
for only a year) to the national parks
of the West. We traveled with a group
from Yellowstone and Grand Canyon,
stopping to be awed by all the parks
in between.
“I had an unexpected but very
pleasant luncheon with Mary Fran
26
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
classnews
Schaff Meekison ’40, who has been
a dear friend since we met while
serving on the Alumnae Board in the
1990s. She comes to Cleveland from
her home in western Ohio a few times
a year for medical appointments at
the Cleveland Clinic. What makes her
outstanding as a Saint Mary’s woman
is that she has been the faithful and
only Courier reporter for the Class
of 1940 for 64 years! That must be a
record.
“Our granddaughter, Madeleine
Powell, is currently a first-year student
at Saint Mary’s, carrying on a fourgeneration legacy that started with my
mother, Carolyn Tobin, Class of 1923.
“We all enjoyed seeing you and
Lila at our reunion in June. Don’t you
think that our group of 18 was an
attendance record for grads 60 years?”
’50
Joanne Morris O’Brien
32865 Faircrest Drive
Beverly Hills, MI 48025
(284) 647-1654
We are having an old-fashioned
Christmas here in Michigan. When
we can stay in, it looks really beautiful
outside. The driving is another story!
By the middle of January, we have
surpassed the total number of inches
that we had last winter. And since I
am not a winter sports fan and do not
have to take small children sledding
and ice skating, I can just look out and
admire the snow-covered trees and
hills. It’s good to count our blessings.
Sister Pat Brewer and I had a
great chat the other day. She sounds
just the same as always. None of us
seem to get any older, do we? Pat is
still working at St. Joseph College in
West Hartford and also in the prison
with the Kairos group “All in God’s
time.”
Carl ND ’49 and Mary Agnes
Garside Liebscher celebrated
their birthdays with their children
and grandchildren—quite a large
group—with a party at their home.
The Liebschers have many reasons
to visit South Bend. Their daughter,
Sara, works for Notre Dame, and
three grandchildren are students on
campus there. Another grandchild,
the daughter of Mary F. Liebscher
Stopulos ’76, is spending a semester
in Italy. I hope she will meet my
granddaughter, Callagee O’Brien,
a student at Fordham, who is also
studying in Rome.
Mary Hanson Peaslee was also
honored with a big family birthday
party. Guests came from as far
away as Spain and included triplet
grandchildren.
Louise Amati Riddle and her
husband, Bob ND ’51, have been living
in California for several years but have
relocated this past year to Oceanside,
Calif. Several of their children and
many grandchildren live nearby. They
had a gathering for Christmas that
included a new baby girl just a few
weeks old.
I heard from Joanne Hoelderle
Zamorski. Danny enjoys his role as the
commander of the VFW in Colt’s Neck,
N.J. Recently, Danny and Joanne were
joined by all their children for their first
grandson’s wedding in North Carolina.
Bernie Lang Fareri just finished
chemo treatment and asks us to keep
her in our prayers.
Honey Kennedy Ryan wrote with
sad news of the death of Jane Ragen
Fahrner last October after an illness
excelsior excelsior excelsior
Mary Elizabeth Ott ’82 was sworn in as an Associate Circuit
Judge of the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit Court of St. Louis County,
Missouri.
Lucia Anna (Pia) Trigiani ’80, a principal in the law firm
of MercerTrigiani, has been named to the 2009 edition of Best
Lawyers in America for real estate law. Trigiani was also honored
by the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of Community
Associations Institute (WMCCAI) as the 2008 Educator of the
Year Award during the 2008 annual dinner. The honor marks the
sixth time that Trigiani, a principal with the real estate law firm of
MercerTrigiani, has received this award
Erin M. Matis ’94 was named a partner at Husch Blackwell
Sanders. She focuses her practice on tax and estate matters.
Amy Walsh Kern ’93 has been elected shareholder at Leonard,
Street and Deinard law firm. Kern focuses her practice in
employment and labor law.
Sister Virginia Jung, O.S.B., ’80 pronounced perpetual vows
during a Sunday afternoon Mass on December 28, 2008. Following
a traditional monastic ritual, she made a lifelong commitment as
a Benedictine Sister.
M. Michelle Licktei ’02 has joined the Business Division of
Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa. Michelle practices in
the area of Government Relations. She previously operated a solo
lobbying practice and was an Associate at BrownWinick.
Vanessa Indriolo ’99, vice president and director of private
equity at Fifth Third Bank, was recently elected to a two-year term
with the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) board
of directors. She was also asked to serve on the board’s executive
committee as membership chair.
Dr. Mary Catherine Flath ’84, Professor of Anatomy &
Physiology at Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC),
has received the first annual Gussler Family Endowed Chair in
Math & Science Award. The endowment was established in 2007
by Dr. C. Gordon Gussler and his wife Dixie Gussler to recognize
full-time math and science faculty who foster in their students a
desire to learn and reach their maximum potential.
Nancy Harris Funches ’66 will be honored as Teacher of the
Year for Hefner Middle School at the annual Teacher of the Year
reception for the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Janet Horvath ’00 was made a partner in the law firm Jones
Obenchain, LLP in South Bend, Indiana.
Patricia Lurel Cook ’75 was named executive vice president of
business development for Green Tree, headquartered in St. Paul,
Minn.
Susan Karling Chai ’85 recently wrote a case study regarding
return on investment (ROI) analysis for training courses that
appeared in the January issue of Chief Learning Officer magazine.
Patricia Quinn Murnane ’84 was promoted to Director of
Corporate Risk and Insurance Department of AIG, Inc.
Laurie Bracken Flanagan ’74 received a Pearson Technology
Innovation award for her initiative and creativity in developing
innovative new practices to train internal employees and external
partners how to use the company’s content management systems.
of six months. To add to the family’s
sorrow, Jane’s youngest daughter, Ann,
died suddenly, just ten days before
Jane.
The last Courier reported the death
of Joan Cooney Kearney-Childers in
September in Fort Wayne. This was a
shock to us, because we were planning
to see Joan and her husband in the
spring. We had lunch with them here
about a year ago when they came
to our area to visit John’s daughter
in Northville, Mich. Let us keep these
classmates and their families in our
prayers.
I had a short chat with Jean
Suelzer Streicher recently. She is
retired now and had a great party to
celebrate her birthday. Mary Ellen
“Toby” Black Kress was among the
guests.
Johnny and I will be in South Bend
in May for the second year in a row.
This time it will be for the graduation
of our grandson, Patrick MacKenzie,
from Notre Dame.
I am wishing for cards, notes,
or calls with more news from all
of our classmates, especially those
whose names are not here this time.
’52
Mary Rose Shaughnessy
5050 S. East End Ave. 14A
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 493-2950
m-shaughnessy@csu.edu
Julie Fries wrote to tell me that
Mary Spencer Williams had died this
summer in Harbor Springs, Mich. Her
passing will be of interest to all of you
who came to our 2007 reunion and
heard Julie tell us the fascinating story
of Mary, who had roomed across from
her on the third floor of Holy Cross Hall
freshman year. Now that we know the
ending, there’s a symmetry to Mary’s
story.
To refresh your memories and for
those who weren’t at reunion, Mary
transferred her sophomore year to
Michigan State and later married John
O’Sullivan. She and Julie had stayed in
touch and resumed a close friendship
when Julie and her husband, Bob,
moved to Michigan in 1957. Over
the years they had played tennis and
bridge, skied, and been active in the
Christ Child Society together. Mary and
John divorced, then Mary remarried
(and divorced) Art Latimer three
times, continuing her friendship and
activities with Julie, who thought Art
was a great guy through it all. After her
last divorce, Mary packed her worldly
belongings onto her sailboat and
headed down the Mississippi River,
meeting Harry Williams in New Orleans
and settling there. After Katrina, she
packed up her possessions once
again and, with Harry, moved back
to Harbor Springs. She and Julie had
resumed their routine of golfing and
kayaking in the summer, skiing in the
winter, and working in the Christ Child
Society. Harry had a stroke and died in
2007, and Mary decided to pack her
belongings once more and move to a
nursing home in the summer of 2008.
She died en route, with two of her
children at her side.
I think she decided she would be
bored there and decided to cast off
one final time.
Please pray for the
adventurous soul of Mary.
’54
Judy Jones Sullivan
23 Upper Oak Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 472-0137
RFS23@aol.com
Our sympathy and prayers are with
the family of Erin White Schaefer
on the loss of their dear mother,
grandmother, and mother-in-law on
Aug. 26, 2008, fewer than six months
after the death of their father Jerry,
Erin’s late husband, as reported in our
last column. Mary Lou Leim O’Beirne
phoned me, then sent obituary and
information about the Mass. Lois
Lane Berry was able to talk on the
phone with Erin’s daughter, Kathleen,
while she was with her mother at the
hospice in San Diego.
In early July, following a Jones’
cousins reunion in my hometown of
Dixon, Ill., Dick and I met for lunch
at Oak Brook Mall west of Chicago
with Joan Rossi, Rena Bianucci
Sereno, Rose Marie Murphy Foley,
Janell Wenzel O’Barski, Art and
Mary Beth Adler Wilhelmi, and Liz
Kiley Wilson and Jim. A wonderful
gathering—thank you, Joan, for
arranging! After overnighting and
breakfast in Joan’s lovely apartment in
River Forest, we flew home.
Hope you saw the article in
Sept. 2008 National Geographic “The
Green Sahara,” about some recent
digs of Rena’s son, Paul Sereno,
a National Geographic Society
explorer-in-residence. Wonderfully
photographed, the article about
“one of the world’s most prolific
dinosaur hunters” chronicles the
unearthing of 6,000-year-old human
remains—“some-200 graves...near a
vanished lake hint at life in a oncefertile land.”
Beginning on Labor Day weekend,
Joan Rossi and “Murph” and Ben Foley
enjoyed four days of (eight!) plays at
the G.B. Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-
the-Lake, Canada. In October, Midge
Myler Russo and Joan joined the Saint
Mary’s tour to Greece and the Greek
islands, and reported it as excellent.
Speaking of Midge, you may recall
that her late husband, Rocco, was a
WW II veteran of D-Day, and in 1994,
they attended the 50th anniversary
events in Normandy. At the request
of their children, Rocco wrote his
memoirs, and we asked Midge for a
copy. To quote a bit of Dick’s e-mail to
Midge, “...very powerful and moving,
both terrifying and tender...putting a
very personal stamp on these worldchanging events.”
Sue Whalen Heyer sent a
postcard in November reporting that
all is well with her in Maggie Valley,
N.C. She was planning a March trip to
Florida for “another 50th birthday” of
one of her children.
In May-June, Pat Byrne Lyren
and daughter Maura spent three
weeks “going from Edinburgh to
Svalbard on the Polar Star, a converted
Swedish icebreaker, via the Orkney
and Shetland islands and Norwegian
fjords. Went ashore in Zodiacs, walked
on packed ice, saw millions (literally) of
birds, whales, seals, walrus, and three
polar bears. Best trip ever!” Pat reported
Thanksgiving with grandchildren,
and “...as one of the granddaughters
received a new karaoke machine
for her birthday, we spent a lot of
time screaming I Will Survive into the
ether until we all were hoarse. I never
dreamed I’d race into my declining
years like this!”
Marianna Marcucci Hassett and
Jim are “doing just fine” in Clearwater,
Fla. As you may recall, Jim is deacon of
their parish and walks the five blocks
daily to the church, as well as keeping
up the yard of their 50-year-old house.
Marianna works one day weekly at the
St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop, plays
bridge with a women’s group, and she
and Jim continue with their couples’
bridge group.
In April, Nancy Gibbon Ross will
visit Mary Wieland Scheetz in Sun
City West, Ariz. Mary will take her
to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and
Flagstaff—Nancy’s first visit to Arizona.
They hope also to connect with other
Phoenix-area classmates before Nancy
returns home to Lancaster, Pa.
Jane Flynn Carroll wrote at
Christmas from Dundee, Ill., that she
regretted missing our July gathering,
but enjoyed receiving pictures from
Joan. Two of Jane’s children live
nearby: Mary Campobosso ’81
and her four children in Glenview,
and Nancy in Crystal Lake. She and
Helen Kuhn Carey ’51, who lives in
Northfield, get together every fall with
their daughters, who are good friends.
Jane’s late husband, Tom, was in the
Careys’ wedding.
Patti Denholm Connor’s and
Mike’s Christmas letter began with
very happy news. Daughter Tricia,
whose husband died suddenly 13
and 1/2 years ago (her children were
5 and 1 at the time), has met and, at
Thanksgiving, married a widower just
her age. (They in fact graduated from
Ohio State in the same class!) Patti and
Mike are “doing a fair job” of keeping
up with tennis and golf, have a few
medical problems but are “doing fine”
and pray that all of us and families are
well and happy.
Despite a few medical bumps
along the way (“not really pot holes”),
Ed and Mary Schmitz Bartley are
much the same in Pinehurst, N.C.—
with golf, tennis, volunteering, and
Mary helping clients with travel. Their
own 2008 travel included an agents’
tour to Dubai and the Arab Emirates
(...wondrous...to see the desert turned
into modern metropolitan cities and...
feel completely safe in a Muslim
country”). Three cruises took them
through the French Polynesian Islands,
transatlantic on the Queen Mary 2
from New York to Southampton and
return, and up the Croatian coast
to Venice. They “probably will slow
down...in 2009.”
Enjoying Peg Tiernan Sheehan’s
Christmas letter is easy; condensing
is harder. “Oh, woe is me...or is it I? I’m
wooing that our firstborn, precious,
sweet baby boy just had his 50th
b’day! HOW possible? Jerry and I are
60 playing tennis, but when we get
home: 85! HOW?! Our sons’ names
(Patrick, Michael, Gerald, Timothy)...fine,
we thought, but—they must’ve gotten
together and all changed their names
to DUDE! That’s not even a saint’s
name. Another name puzzler, when
we go out to dinner: the young waiter
calls me Ewe guise...our daughter tells
me it’s two words and I’m spelling it
wrong.”
Sister Jo Lucker and Sister
Lori, the Maryknoll Sister with
whom she lives in El Paso, continue
their dedicated work for abused,
undocumented women at Las
Americas Immigrant Advocacy
Agency. Jo also wrote that a highlight
of her year was going to New York for
two weeks in October, to attend the
every-six-years General Meeting of the
Maryknoll Sisters.
Mary O’Shea Judd’and Jerry’s
grandson, K.J., is 14, and playing the
trombone with the church choir.
They enjoy having him with them
when mom Julie Judd Leisenfelt
’78 travels for IBM and dad Kevin
occasionally accompanies her. All live
in the Dallas area, as well as the Judds’
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twin daughters Susan and Lisa—both
doing well. Rody Oppenheim
Dilenschneider relates “the
globalization” of the family—sons Joe
and Bob are teaching at universities
in Japan, a grandson in Hokkaido,
one in Germany, two in London, one
in Surrey, and their eldest grandson
with the State Department is the
vice consul in Tunisia. Rody and Jack
ND ’54 hope to be in South Bend in
June for Reunion ’09, then they plan a
Mediterranean cruise visiting Istanbul,
Greece, and Rome.
A lovely photo of their 11
grandchildren accompanied Jim and
Liz Kiley Wilson’s Christmas greeting.
They reported celebrating their
50th anniversary in ’08, with all their
children and grandchildren.
Jim and Marie Mertes Hertig’s
July bus tour in Switzerland included
searching for Jim’s ancestors. They
found the two towns, but no luck
with records or at the cemetery.
Their Christmas letter pictures them
with the gorgeous Matterhorn in the
background. Jim and friends “dig up
the local golf courses a couple times
a week” and Marie’s “knitting, sewing,
and non-bridge bridge groups are
going strong.”
Bernice Boucher Hopp and
Jim enjoy good health, share yard
and garden upkeep, volunteer, and
exercise in Irvington (Indianapolis
area). She served on the 100th
anniversary committee for Our Lady of
Lourdes Church, where she made her
first communion, was confirmed, and
married Jim. Mary Fran Koehnemann
Nolan wrote at Christmas from
Daniels, W.V., where she is doing well.
Christmas greetings from
Lakewood, Ohio, reported both health
and family news from Paul and Bev
Ritz Campbell. Just before their
late-April-planned return from Mesa,
Ariz., for spring and summer, Paul had
a massive heart attack, followed by
triple by-pass surgery and aortic valve
replacement—and a late-May return
home. In July, Bev had a double knee
replacement. At her writing, both of
their surgeries and rehabs were over
and both are “fully recovered and
grateful.” Bev’s son, Paul Bierbusse,
has been made a partner in Ernst
and Young. Bev had run into Eileen
Cox Karp, and both of them hope
to attend our June reunion. (Eileen
recently phoned me, reporting that
Anne Feldpausch Hubert also hopes
to attend.)
Marilyn Austgen Thompson’s
and Jim’s Christmas letter had news
of grandchildren and travel. I don’t
have an accurate count, but Lauren
and Megan “went from little girls
to charming teenagers” in ’08, and
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would be graduating in ’09 from
eighth grade. It is a continuing success
story regarding Lauren, their juvenile
diabetic granddaughter. She is active
in horseback riding, ballet, cross
country, and track. The Thompsons’
travel in 2008 included an April week
in Palm Springs with friends, and three
weeks cruising in the Mediterranean.
Jim was anxious to return to Alaska, so
in the late fall they took a cruise there.
At this point, the classmates I
know of who plan on our (55th—eek!)
reunion in June are: Mary Bartley,
Bev Campbell, Rody Dilenschneider,
“Murph” Foley, Bernice Hopp, Anne
Hubert, Eileen Karp, Pat Lyren, and
Joan Rossi. Our column deadlines
are June 1 and Jan. 1. Please keep in
touch—by postcard, note, phone,
e-mail...but do it! Love you all, JJ
’56
Catherine Shaughnessy
Nessinger
13156 North 104th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(815) 469-3253
CCTNESS@cs.com
As usual, my mailbox has
yielded very little class news. This
Christmas was the poorest ever.
Where is everyone? I wrote some
letters and garnered a response from
Barb Schettig Brennan, Mary Lee
Wheeler Schuler, and Pat O’Leary
Ring. Barb has been in touch with Pat
Bushey, who is back in Gettysburg
after a career in music education. She
enclosed a picture of Pat and herself
taken two years ago—could have
been from 1956 they looked so much
the same! Mary Lee is still having
trouble getting around, but plays
bridge every week (a skill learned in
the ’Rec’). Pat O’Leary Ring’s mother
passed away at age 98—Pat is busy
with grandchildren like most of us.
In October, Marie Gillespie
Egan had a luncheon in her home
for Chicago-area classmates. In
attendance were Mary Alice
Parsons, Bunni Hennessey Griffin,
Maryjeanne Ryan Burke, Rita Conley
Bourjaily, Mary Kay Shanahan
Cesarone, Sheila Siebert Gallagher
and Julia Gibbons Revane. We had
already left for Arizona, and I was so
sorry to have missed this wonderful
gathering. Also missing was Jane
Doyle Burke, who had some health
problems. I understand she is home
now and recovering but would no
doubt appreciate our prayers.
Maryjeanne has provided me
with much news. She has heard from
Jean Wargin Schloegel that she and
John ND ’54 have sold their home in
Milwaukee and have moved to the
Carolinas to be near their daughter.
Sheila Conlin Brown will
complete her term on the Alumnae
Board this spring. She and Dick ND ’56
spend a lot of time in Chicago and will
be in their time share in Palm Springs
for six weeks this winter.
Mary Dahm Kearney and
Paul are still travelers. Mary has the
inquisitiveness of a history major that
I somehow missed! They spend much
time visiting grandchildren, some of
whom are in college!
Evidently, Mary Carey Swift and
Joe have moved into a new condo in
the Washington, D.C., area. According
to Maryjeanne, Mary and Joe go each
year to Lourdes with the Knights of
Malta, providing service to the many
pilgrims who visit that magnificent
shrine.
I received a beautiful letter from
the latest recipient of aid from our
Class of 1956 Scholarship. It is so
gratifying to know that our efforts
are enabling a young woman to
receive a Saint Mary’s education.
Please continue to contribute to
this scholarship. It is a perfect way
to remember family members and
classmates.
And please—write!
’58
Ann Leonard Molenda
51310 Windsor Manor Ct.
Granger, IN 46530-8307
(574) 273-0310
ALHISTLIT@aol.com
In the reunion roundup, I forgot to
mention that Gretchen Wiedemann
O’Loughlin drove with Pat O’Shea
Dorfmeister, Lockie Coulter McGill,
and Gail Matousek Waldeck to
reunion and roomed next door to
Patricia “Ricky” Elen Costello and
Joanie Drymalski Heuel.
Gretchen and I missed each other
when she came to South Bend with
her husband, and then we could not
get together shortly after reunion.
I also forgot to mention that
Peggy Lomasney Kegaly is part of
the 1958 winter crowd in Naples.
Paula Lawton Bevington came
for the Christian Culture lecture in
September, and we had lunch with
a group of my South Bend friends.
She and Milton are well. Paula is
working part-time as a fundraiser for
Atlanta Legal Aid in addition to their
consulting business.
Thanks to Hannah Grasberger
Kreps for sending me pictures from
our 50th reunion. They bring back such
happy memories.
Late September, Ann Harris
Mohun came to the U.S. for son
Charlie’s wedding in Ohio and fit in
a visit to South Bend between visits
with family in San Francisco and the
wedding. We managed to visit with
Bruno Schlesinger and his wife, Alice,
in their home; then Bruno, Ann, and I
went out for coffee another afternoon.
Both Alice and Bruno are living with
serious health issues, but they are
gallant and sharp mentally.
Ann lives in a house she designed
and built in Cairns, Australia. She sold
her day care center and interrupted
her study of botany at the local
university to build the house. She now
works part-time as a learning support
teacher for Wontulp-Bi-Buya College in
Cairns, Queensland. The name means
“Light on the Hill.” Sponsored by four
mainstream Christian churches, the
college brings adult students from
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island
communities for two-week study
blocks. It grants certificates and
diplomas in theology and community
development. Many go on to become
priests, pastors, and deacons in their
churches. Teachers are generally
indigenous men and women who are
clergy. Ann helps the class with literacy
skills, as English is generally their third
language, after a local language and
Creole.
Early in December, I received
an e-mail asking for prayers for Kay
Duffy O’Leary’s husband, George ND
’41, who had just undergone heart
valve replacement surgery and three
bypasses in Rockford, Ill. George now
sports a pacemaker but is off oxygen
and is recovering his strength.
Kay mentioned that Bebe
Doyle Wharton had a stroke before
Thanksgiving and is in a nursing home.
The stroke has affected the part of
the brain which involves speech, but
the good news is Bebe can walk with
help. Husband Cliff is an hour away,
which is difficult, but their daughters
can visit daily. We hope that members
of the class will send cards to Bebe
while she is recovering: Bebe Wharton
(Mrs. Cliff ), Evergreen Health and
Rehabilitation Center, 300 Douglas St.,
Petaluma CA 94952.
I just spoke with Martie Slavin
Fogarty, and Marilyn Miller Lyon
was visiting her in her new home in
Jacksonville, Fla. After reunion last
June, Marilyn drove over from Naples
to help Martie unpack when she
and Mike moved in. Both Martie and
Marilyn mentioned getting a group of
SMC classmates together this winter
in Florida.
Pat Hurley McMahon sent a
wonderful picture of John and herself
in front of the Sydney, Australia opera
house. The McMahons visited both
Australia and New Zealand in March
2008. Pat continues to teach adult and
children’s art classes through a local art
institute in Augusta, Ga.
I received a Christmas card from
Joan Renehan Thompson featuring
a pyramid of six wonderful looking
grandchildren. Joan and husband
Frank took three “grands” to Hawaii for
a week and enjoyed being in the water
with the dolphins. Joan wrote, “We
came home exhausted!”
Sue Lipetska Cierzniak called me
to ask for prayers for Nancy Schwind
Gallagher’s husband Don, who fell
on the ice the day after Christmas. He
subsequently suffered a stroke and is
in a hospital in Peoria, Ill.
Enjoy each day.
’60
Maureen Hogan Lang
108 Cascade Drive
Indian Head Park, IL 60525
Mrplang4@sbcglobal.net
Molly Bolster Frawley
6920 Centennial Road
Spearfish, SD 57783-8051
frawl@rapidnet.com
Remember, it is almost time for
us all to return to SMC for our 50th.
How did that time go so fast? In the
meantime, here are a few updates.
In August, Cecile Hudson Grant
and her daughter, Mary Frances
(Muff ) Grant Linnane ’02, took a
business trip to South Dakota, where
they detoured to Spearfish and
enjoyed a whirlwind visit with Molly
Bolster Frawley. What a delightful
surprise! Then Molly went to a
decorative painting convention in
Columbus and had a great visit with
Carol Cavanaugh Ryan and Abby
Gage Hurd.
Mary Lou Ashley Summers and
Maureen Hogan Lang always enjoy
getting together in Michigan at Mary
Lou’s daughter’s cottage on Corey
Lake.
The Chicagoans lunched in
Oakbrook on Jan. 22. No calories were
consumed by Jane Simpson Kiep,
Mary Jo O’Callaghan Martin, Elaine
Van Etten Cassidy, Nancy Prawdzik
Kidder, Nancy O’Toole Doppke,
Diane Zarantonello Sullivan, Arlene
Lagona Feldmeier, Barbara Graham
Stotzer, and Maureen Hogan Lang
because we never stopped talking
about grandchildren, exercising, water
aerobics, golf, bridge, reading, or aches
and pains. You would think a multitude
of news would come from this, but
it is just the same old, same old. We
need some fun in our lives! Here are
just a few bits of news: Mary Jo’s son,
Rob Lorenz, is in Africa producing Clint
Eastwood’s new movie about Nelson
Mandela (Morgan Freeman). Let’s
watch for that one! Mary Jo and Larry
Martin ND ’60 enjoy spending time
with Honey Hurley Gfroerer ’58 and
her husband, George, when they come
to Chicago to visit her mom. In March,
Elaine will be a grandmother for the
third time; however, this will be the
first Cassidy and will live in Chicago,
not Philadelphia. Diane’s daughter,
Lisa Williams, R.N.,M.S., is in Nigeria
with PEPFAR (President’s Emergency
Plan For AIDS Relief ) as part of a grant
received by Northwestern Memorial
Hospital for doctors working in Third
World countries. The doctors planned
a conference in Abuja, the capital of
Nigeria, for nurses working with AIDS
patients. Lisa and another nurse from
Northwestern made presentations
each day to 90 nurses from all over
Nigeria.
Karen Wilke Galvin went to St.
Barth’s to visit her sister rather than
have lunch with us. What a choice!
Grrrr!
Last, but most important…
let’s get our bags packed! By the
time you are reading this we will
have one short year to get ready
to head to SMC for reunion. M
and M cannot wait to see you!
’62
Anne Casey Beaudoin
1340 Indianwood Drive
Brookfield, WI 53005-5511
(262) 784-1285
kathmowen@comcast.net
From the Courier Office: Joan
Lacey Egan is searching for classmates
on Florida’s southeast coast, having
recently returned from 14 years living
abroad in the U.K. and Shanghai,
China. Early in 2008, Ann Harwood
Callaghan escaped the Indiana winter
weather to visit. (Ann and Joan spent
several years raising their families
in northern Virginia.) In February,
Ann Maher Lee and Marg Burns
DeMartini will have a mini-reunion
with Joan in Jupiter, Fla. They are also
high school classmates from Winnetka,
Ill. Joan’s sisters, children, and
grandchildren gathered in December
to celebrate the life and death of
their father, Jack, who received a full
military Air Force ceremonial funeral
at Arlington National Cemetery. While
living in London, Joan hosted a dinner
for alumnae and would be happy to
organize a gathering in Florida. Her
e-mail is: joanlegan@aol.com
’64
Mary Ann Curnes Fuller
501 N. Oakwood Avenue
Lake Forest, IL 60045-1964
(847) 234-6767
fuller.ma@gmail.com
I would strongly encourage
members of the Class of ’64 to make
their plans/reservations to attend
our 45th reunion! Our class will be
clustered at the new Hilton Garden
Inn, so please make your reservations
with the Alumnae Office soon. Call
someone who was in our class,
even if only that first year, and try to
reconnect and ask if she would like
to come back June 4th-7th to tell her
story.....
Through Christmas cards
and conversations, I know that
Kathy Menzie Lesko, Mary Kay
Brady Turner, Roberta Limarzi
Weinsheimer, Ellen Brown McBride,
Sis Reynolds McBride, Carole
Barskis Weber, and Margie Carroll
Flynn are planning on attending. I
hope that each of you reading this
will pick up the phone to make that
personal contact and encourage
everyone to be there. No, don’t put
this off until our 50th.......
If you can’t come, please send me
a letter or an e-mail with where you
live, what you are doing, what interests
you, books you have enjoyed, and your
fondest memory of Saint Mary’s.
From the Courier Office: Patricia
(Pat) Ralicki McGowan writes: I retired
in August 2006. I am volunteering at
St. Joseph’s Social Services Center in
Elizabeth, N.J.—teaching Excel in the
“Project Ready” program, working out
at the gym to keep the knees (and
the rest of me) going, and babysitting
when invited. I find that all this, and
two book clubs, keeps me pretty busy.
News this year: two firsts! First
grandson: Reese William McGowan
born Jan. 19, 2008, to son Martin (Chip)
McGowan and his wife, Laurie Kessler.
First granddaughter: Helen Elizabeth
Domashinski, born April 24, 2008, to
daughter Maura and her husband,
Mark Domashinski.
Sue Hayes writes: “After 30 years of
teaching graduate students at Western
Washington University, I am working
with high school students who are
sometimes struggling with a major
lack of motivation about education
and school in particular. About 60%
of the students are members of the
Colville Confederated Tribes, a large
reservation that enrolls about 10,000
members. I worked here half time
last year so I can start the new year
with some fairly good ideas about the
issues that are ahead of most students.
This is my view of retirement.”
Kay Christenson Janiszewski
writes that she and three of her
classmates get together on a yearly
basis for mini-reunions. Janet Walton
Gisleson of Louisiana, Mary Beth
Allen Sweeney of Pennsylvania,
and Mary Jane Foley Brisbane of
Georgia met last September in the
resort of Ogunquit, Maine. They had
a grand time walking the rocky coast,
enjoying the prolific flowers that the
Maine coast climate cradles, viewing
solitary light houses from boat rides,
and taking in a small but very sweet
museum. All this was greatly enhanced
with lots of visiting and good meals.
Janet spent some extra time at Kay’s
that was greatly relished. Sadly, Mary
Beth unexpectedly lost her husband
shortly after that trip.
Kay published a book on her
father’s World War II experience in
the fall. Titled Only One Returned, it is
the story of her family traveling the
country as her father went through
pilot training. The story then moves to
the missions he flew from Great Britain,
to landing his very crippled plane near
Versailles, and then his escape through
the French Underground. You can see
her website at www.onlyonereturned.
com. Kay keeps busy traveling and
says her trip Down Under in the fall
was spectacular with its scenery. Hope
to see you at the reunion in June!
’65
Sheila Kelly Ames
1200 Eustace Drive
Dixon, IL 61021
(815) 288-2640
Ames@grics.net
Editor’s Note: The Alumnae Relations
Office regrets that the entire report for
the Class of 1965 was not printed in the
last issue of Courier. The missing portion
follows:
The Class of ’65 turns 65!
I think Junie Miller Smith echoes
every one of us when she writes from
Texas: “Well, I guess this is the year
we are all eligible for Medicare. Who
would have ’thunk’ it way back in
1965? I couldn’t believe it on March
1, 2008, when my card arrived in the
mail.”
On a lovely day in May, E. J.
Caluwaert McFadden had another
great mini-reunion at her beautiful
home in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Our group
is growing every year. We had E.J.,
Mary Delaney Willer, Barb Leahy
Sutton, Cille Sorrentino Bucolo,
Colleen Leahy, Anne Harvey Lewis,
Marianne Spalding Schiavone,
Mary Harris Russell, Molly Martin
Mannino, Sara Johnson Walz,
and myself. The topics discussed
around the luncheon table had
us all in hysterics (remember “just
wiggle,” ladies?). There were so
many memories, and so many
funny episodes. We thank E.J. for
a very special and enjoyable day.
Another mini-reunion took place at
the magnificent Driehaus Museum
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Spring 2009
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in Chicago in August, followed by
(of course) lunch. It included Mary
Delaney Willer, Rosann Gorman
Conroy, E.J. Caluwaert McFadden,
myself, Pat Hoben Daniels, Colleen
Leahy, and Sara Johnson Walz. It was
unanimously decided to get together
again, and soon!
Cille Bucolo and I have a long,
chatty get-together every couple
of months or so in Chicago. Neither
of us is ever at a loss for words. We
both were on the SMC trip to Greece
this past October, along with Judy
Piers Locher, Darlene Currier
Unger, and Marcia Black McMahon.
With our children raised, we often
have just a bit more time for these
great get-togethers. But, joyously,
grandchildren have entered the
picture for many of us, and we make
special time for them. I have joined
the ranks of grandmotherhood, as
my daughter, Kelly, and her husband
presented us with a gorgeous, happy
little boy in April. Now I know what
everyone is talking about. Mary
Harris Russell wrote with news of her
new granddaughter. “My news is a
new grandchild, Isabella Guadalupe
Peterson Veeder, in New Mexico. Very
pink and sweet and will grow into her
lovely long name.”
From Sheila Flynn Boone in
Colorado, news as follows. “We skied
four days a week, all winter—Michael
says he has to make up for all the
’week day’ skiing he missed when he
was working. And, fortunately, the
conditions were excellent, with tons
of new snow every week. I’m trying
to get the Colorado Saint Mary’s
Alumnae Club going again. It’s tricky,
what with people so spread out. We
don’t have a really big concentration
in any one place; I hope to have our
first official meeting for Founders Day
in the Fall. We spent the month of
April in Australia and loved every mile
and minute of it. We had hoped to
go ever since our Australian daughter
came into our lives and has told us
so much about her country. It is a
lovely and interesting place—and
Aussies are the nicest people you’ll
ever meet! As often as possible, we get
to San Francisco and Omaha to see
our five grandchildren. We are always
exhausted at the end of our stay but
have so much fun! In August, we’ll
head to Maine for a ’mini reunion’ with
Michael’s ND ’66 college roommate,
Tony ’66, his wife (Katie Cooney
Lisa ’67), and some other ND friends
and their wives. On the way, we plan
to stop in Boston and visit with my
roommate, Pat Devine McCarthy, and
her husband, Dick ND ’65.
Ann Pindar writes, “I am having a
relaxing summer, enjoying snowbird
30
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friends returning north for the
summer. I traveled to New Jersey/
New York City for my sister’s—Pat
Pindar ’65—and my first annual
family reunion weekend. It included
some Broadway plays and a jazz
cruise around Manhattan. I have
signed on as events co-chair for the
Roch for Obama campaign, which
should be fun. Am still doing ’crew,’
and am rowing in a regatta or two
this summer, God and joints willing!
In August, I will spend some time
with family at the New Jersey shore.
Our godchild, Christina, goes off to
college—Bowdoin, in Maine—this
fall. I’m helping her shop, which brings
back memories of shopping for SMC in
the summer of 1961! At least we had
uniforms that first year!”
Rosann Gorman Conroy and her
husband, Martin, live in Flossmoor, Ill.
Their five children are living nearby
in the Chicago area. So far, they have
one two-year-old granddaughter and
two more grandchildren on the way.
This year, they will spend six months in
Naples, Fla. Martin has been fighting
colon cancer for the past year, and he
is now feeling good.
“I help with a community
newspaper in Ft. Myers”, writes Pat
Hoben Daniels, “where we spend the
winter. Our youngest and his wife just
had their first baby, Campbell Hoben
Daniels, and they are remarkably
impressed with their exceptional
product. Tim works for National City
Bank and is happy to be back in
Chicago with family and friends after
two years in Cleveland. My sister, Mary
Ann Hoben Jensen ’55, has not been
as well as she would like, and I know
she would appreciate your prayers
as well as those of her classmates.
My love-hate relationship with golf
and watercolors continues. I still like
to read and am in charge of a book
group in Florida. I’m always looking for
recommendations for good books for
discussion. We generally look forward
to coming north in the summer to
recover from all the winter activities,
but this summer has been just as busy
here as there. We did a cross-Atlantic
cruise in April to Spain and Portugal
and are now happy to have absolutely
no plans to do anything for a while.”
From sunny California, Sue Casey
D’Amico writes: “Dick ND ’64 and I
met John and Kathleen Walsh Harty
at Del Mar Race Track in July. It was a
beautiful day at the track and Kathleen
had great luck with the horses. After
the track, the four of us met Kathleen
McAnaney Glaser for dinner. We
had a wonderful time visiting and
remembering our years at Saint Mary’s.
On a sadder note, my mother, Marion
Vodicka Casey ’39, passed away on
June 16, 2008. She loved Saint Mary’s,
and one of her joys was receiving her
Courier in the mail. We have lost a fine
Saint Mary’s woman.” We send our
sincere sympathies to Sue on the loss
of her dear mother.
Happy and contented news from
Beverly Senda Defoe in Georgia: “We
have had a wonderful start to 2008.
Cameron retired last year, and I called
it quits from Sears in January ’08 after
24 years. We have been traveling ever
since—including a 60-day road trip
in January/February to Vegas to see
son Dean and Carolyn; three weeks in
California to visit long- time friends;
two weeks in Seattle and Whistler
with son Patrick and Tara; and two
weeks in Arizona with my sisters. We
went to Saint Mary’s/South Bend in
June to see friends, on to Detroit and
Mackinac Island, and Youngstown
for a family wedding. A fun, low-key
time with family and friends, and back
roads in the convertible are so much
fun. Mid-July to mid-August found
us in Arizona celebrating my sister’s
50th anniversary; in Vegas celebrating
Dean’s graduation from the Nevada
police academy; and Portland, Ore., for
a cruise on the Columbia/Snake Rivers.
Family and friends—what memories
we recalled and how many new ones
we made. Life is good!” You deserve
every minute, Bev.
Our sympathy and prayers to
Mary Harris Russell upon the loss
of her brother, Raymond Harris,
after a valiant struggle. “At the time
of his death, he was the oldest and
longest serving volunteer in the
Resurrection Healthcare Program for
the Homebound Elderly in Chicago.
Even when he could no longer drive,
he took a bus and train to get to see
his ’shut-ins,’ as we used to call such
folks.” A man like Raymond deserves
mention.
From Lil Chard Beshel: “Just
off the phone with Joan Marskey
Slattery. She and Bill are back
from a trip to Lithuania, Latvia, and
Prague. Back home in Minnesota
they are enthusiastic golfers and
grandparents to two young misses.
Joan and Darlene Unger Currier
and I managed a dinner date in
New York City this summer. Bill and
Larry were permitted on the outing.
Darlene has retired from teaching in
Michigan and is now a Southerner.
She has a condo in South Carolina.
Darlene was considering purchase
of a condo in Austin, Tex., at the time
of our meeting...does that make her
a south-westerner? It is such a treat
to catch up with college friends.” And
also from Lil and Saint Mary’s, news
of the latest recipient of the Class of
1965 Memorial Scholarship. Caroline
Baumgartner ’10 is from Naperville,
Ill., and states that she “fell in love with
Saint Mary’s the first time I stepped on
campus.” Caroline is most thoughtful
in her sincere thanks for our class
scholarship. She hopes to find a career
in public relations after graduation.
As Lil mentions in her note, it is so
good to have this scholarship in place
for these deserving young women.
’66
Mary Duffy Gott
237 Donlea Road
Barrington, IL 60010-4014
(847) 381-4541
marykgott@aol.com
Our class was known for firsts. In
our years at Saint Mary’s, our class
leaders organized and instituted a
major change in how the students
governed themselves. In the early’60s,
the governing body was a student
council, mostly an advisory board. Our
class took a dramatic step in asking
the Sisters for sole power in dealing
with fellow classmates. Under the
leadership of Pam Smith Malone, a
student governing body accepted the
reins and governed the young ladies
attending Saint Mary’s College.
We have come a long way from
those days, but we continue to make
firsts. Our present president of the
Alumnae Association, Elizabeth
Birmingham Lacy, achieved many
firsts in her career as a lawyer and
judge. Recently, Liz received honors
for her role as Supreme Court Justice
of Virginia from the Virginia Women
in History organization. Liz started
her firsts after graduating from law
school at the University of Texas. She
was the first female Deputy General in
the state. She continued to become
the first female judge in the state.
Liz marked a spot in Virginia history
by being the first female Supreme
Court justice. And in retirement, she
is continues to be recognized for her
detailed and professional opinions on
the cases that appeared before her.
Although Liz is the current
president of the Alumnae Association,
Pam Smith Malone holds the first
honor of this title for our class during
the ’80’s. Pam now works for NALF, a
foundation that promotes placement
of lawyers. She recently scheduled
several meetings with the University of
Chicago and Northwestern University,
and also visited several top law firms
in the Windy City. To our great fortune,
Pam saved time in her busy schedule
to have lunch with Mary Dunn
Finneran, Sharon Priester Lewert,
and me.
Mary and E.J. Finneran, ND ’66
purchased a beautiful condo on
Division Street with views of Lake
Michigan and the city to the west.
Sharon helped with several wonderful
decorating ideas. E.J. even agreed!
Donna Christian Christensen,
a delegate for the U.S. Virgin Islands
to Congress, was recently recognized
for her efforts to fight drunk driving
and underage drinking. Along
with 37 members of the House of
Representatives, Donna received
honors from The Century Council, a
national not-for-profit organization.
Donna began her career with a first
of becoming a doctor from George
Washington School of Medicine in
Washington, D.C. She was the first
female physician in the Virgin Islands,
where she worked in emergency
medicine and family practice
medicine. Concerns for the Virgin
Islands made her the first female to
represent an offshore territory in the
U.S. government. She worked hard for
an amendment on giving territories
the right to vote. Now in her 7th term,
Donna was the first female to be a
delegate of the U.S. Virgin Islands. She
is also a delegate to the Democratic
Convention. Her website lists all these
achievements, plus many more, but
it also shares her photos from the
Obama inauguration.
Martha Crikelair Wohlford
created another “first” for this class by
publishing her first book. Her latest
project, Chaos to Serenity, is a collection
of stories spanning her 40-year
involvement with the Island. She has
also established Serenity Press as a
means to publish other works as well
as her own. Our personal author lives
in Staniel Cay, Exumas, Bahamas. In her
note, Marty said that Sheila Beirne
Conry came to visit the Island retreat.
Sheila lives in the Fort Lauderdale area.
Dede Cotter Delaney marked
a first as mother of the groom when
her son, Dan, married this summer
at Michigan Beach in Indiana. Dede
kindly shared the wonderful photos
from the wedding. Dan’s mother-inlaw is a dear high school friend of
Hillary Clinton, who attended the
wedding. Now Dede can say she
personally knows the Secretary of
State.
Jane McCoach McKee also played
her first role as mother of the bride
when her daughter, Catherine, married
June 14. Jane’s grandson, Conor, was
also in the wedding.
The young couple bought a
home in Danbury, close to Jane and,
her husband, Mike. Their son, Will,
lives three hours away in South New
Hampshire.
Jane and Mike visited Gettysburg,
Pa., in February to witness the
dedication of the Wills House Museum
by the National Park Service. David
Wills, Mike’s great, great grandfather,
organized the foundation of the
Gettysburg Cemetery and invited
Lincoln to speak at the dedication.
Of course, Lincoln penned part of his
famous Gettysburg Address while
staying at the Wills’ house.
Congratulations are in order for
two classmates. Mary Fran Petricca
Gleason married John O’Connor at
her childhood parish in August. Mary
classclips classclips classclips
Savannah, Georgia, was this year’s site for the girls’ get away weekend, class
of 1970. In attendance were Liz Casey, Mary Beth Tetlow DeNiro, Cathy
Linnehan Cronin, Debbie Byrne Tynan, Margie Goodwin Harrison, Sue
Gudgeon Reilly and Jessica Rinna Beling. The women spent the weekend at
Sue Gudgeon Reilly’s winter house in Savannah and did a lot of site seeing
including the historic city, houses, churches and cemeteries. Of course the
best part about the weekend was the opportunity to see each other, find
out what everyone has been up to as well as how each one’s families are
doing. This event was the second get together of the women and plans are
to repeat the good times in another city location yet to be determined.
Fran and John live in River Forest, Ill.
During the week, Mary Fran works with
children from three inner-city schools.
Along with John, Mary has made
several trips to South America to help
in poor villages.
Congratulations to Marianne
Voglewede Sylvester, who married
Jerry McLaughlin on a beach in Hawaii.
Marianne lives in Florida…one smart
lady.
Last fall, my husband, Larry, ND
’64, visited our son, Dan, ND ’94, in
San Francisco. He preceded his wife,
Heather and daughter, Coco, to the
Bay Area for a new position with
Safeway Foods. During our visit, we
were guests of Carolyn Hart Irvine
and Mike ND ’67 in their lovely home
outside San Mateo, Calif. They shared
their plans for a cruise of the Aegean
Sea with Notre Dame. On the trip, they
met Mary Donaghue Buregga ’69.
Caroline said they renewed a 40-yearold friendship.
Caroline and Mike had dinner
with Mary Kay Roberts Nelson and
George in San Francisco in September.
The Nelsons remained calm as a
powerful hurricane hit the Houston
area. Since the storm battered a good
part of Houston, the Nelsons spent
a few extra days in San Fran. Mary
Kay’s son, G.R., was godfather to Mike
Irvine’s new daughter, Lucy Laura.
G.R. and Mike were friends at Notre
Dame. Caroline’s three children and
grandchildren live in the area.
Kathie Donovan Dur sent a
beautiful picture of her new grandson,
William O’Rahilly Hardart. William is
the second child for Kathie’s daughter,
Courtney, and her husband. The baby
joins older sister Catherine. Kathie
still lives in Washington, D.C., in the
Georgetown area.
Many of our classmates prayed for
Ann Hagan as she fought leukemia
for eight years. Ann died after a gallant
fight July 13, 2008. She is survived
by her husband, Allen Durling, and
many close families. Ann graduated
from Suffolk Law School in 1975. She
worked for the Girl Scouts in Detroit
but returned to the city where her
heart lived, Boston, to work with a
consulting firm on civil rights and
diversity issues. In 1985, she cofounded Cavanaugh, Hagan, & Pierson
Consulting Company in Washington,
D.C.
The Saint Mary’s College Book
Group of Washington, D.C. Maryland
and Virginia helped Allen organize a
festival in Ann’s honor. According to
Anne Sheehan Garbarino, the festival
was held at Helenmarie Anderson
Corcoran’s ’61 Alliance Dance Studio
in Alexandria, Va. About 15 belles
attended. Our classmates were
Kate O’Hara Aubert, Kay Casellini
Wasinger, Kathleen Macelwane
Wernert and Anne. Arline Hagan
Saturdayborn ’63, Ann’s sister,
attended as well. The group celebrated
Ann’s life, her love of Boston teams,
and her passion for photography.
From the Courier Office:
Paulette Raczkowski-Baz ’96 writes:
“The Saint Mary’s Club of Toledo is
proud to honor Diane Pacella, who
was honored at the Toledo Race for
the Cure on Sept. 28, 2008.”
The newsletter The Promise
contained the following: “Diane
Pacella is an incredible asset to the
Toledo community in her quest to
help fight breast cancer. Over the past
decade, she has volunteered countless
hours with various organizations,
including the Victory Center and
Reach for Recovery. She has spent
time calling, visiting and counseling
newly diagnosed patients and has also
volunteered on the oncology floor at
Flower Hospital.
“Diane was diagnosed with breast
cancer in October 1990 at the age
of 46. She is now an 18-year cancer
survivor.”
Frank Nader, husband of Nan
Koob Nader, writes: “Nan has been
recovering slowly from spine fusion
surgery done on Dec. 4. Our hope is
that this will get at the cause of her
condition of the past eight years. We
are optimistic.
“Nan will be released from
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
(Wheaton, Ill.) on Dec. 30 and will
finish recuperating at home. The
various therapies offered there have
done great things for her so far. I will
be spending a couple of weeks home
with her helping her get stronger, get
more at-home therapy, and see a few
of her doctors.
“Nan will have limited use of
e-mail until she can manage stairs.
She would appreciate a call from you
at home any time: (708) 544-7141.”
’70
Mary Lou Wylie
437 East Wolfe Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
(540) 433-8593
wylieml@jmu.edu
From the Courier Office: If you
are interested in serving as a reporter
for the Class of 1970, please contact
Jessica Stuifbergen ’99 at (574) 2845332 or jstuifbe@saintmarys.edu.
Edith Hill Gibney and most of her
family took a ten-day pilgrimage to the
Holy Land, following the steps of Jesus
and Mary and attending Mass every
day in these sacred places. Last May,
Edith’s second grandchild was born
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
31
two weeks early, so Edi didn’t arrive in
Colorado until after the birth. It was
lucky that the birth was early, because
that allowed Edi to see her youngest,
Brendan, graduate from Notre Dame,
which is the alma mater of all his
sisters.
Nancy Erdman Coffey lives in
Sterling, Va., and is a social worker with
the Department of Family Services in
Fairfax. Her husband was a Foreign
Service Officer who retired in October.
They have three kids scattered
throughout the world in Japan, New
York (that one is married), and Chapel
Hill, N.C.
Donna Farrell MacPherson
continues to live in Burlington, Va. She
has retired and is loving it!
During the past year, most of
the members of the Class of ’70
observed their 60th birthdays, and
they had a variety of ways to celebrate
the milestone. Several classmates
described their celebrations, so I’ll
report in this issue on those whose
celebrations involved travel, then
report on other celebrations in our
next class notes.
Becky O’Connnor Chandler and
her husband, Jim ND ’70 took a trip to
Ireland as part of the commemoration
of their shared 60th year. On Becky’s
actual birthday in May, they gathered
in Boston with their immediate
families at a restaurant in the South
End of Boston called Sibling Rivalry.
Her children and siblings “roasted”
her as part of the fun of the evening.
After dinner, they went to a sing-along
piano bar with limousines transporting
them to and from her sister’s home in
North Andover. The birthday weekend
also included the graduation of
Becky and Jim’s son from Wesleyan
University. Teddy Kennedy was the
intended speaker (his step-daughter
is in Michael’s class), but he had to
cancel because of his illness. At the last
minute, Barack Obama (at the time,
Becky’s senator, neighbor, and friend)
stepped in, and the students and their
parents were nearly hysterical when
the news was announced. The speech
about the importance of public service
was well received by all, in spite of
the security, photographers, and long,
long lines to the grounds for the event.
Becky shared another interesting
experience toward the end of her 60th
year.
“And, now, at the close of our
60th year, we got to join Michelle
and Barack in our local elementary
school to vote for his presidency. My
son and I were locked into the voting
place with the Obamas, about 10
neighbors, and 30 media personnel.
It was an exhilarating close to our
election efforts on his behalf. I hope
32
COURIER
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Spring 2009
my classmates are as happy as we
are in Chicago about this change in
Washington.”
Joann Yandow Maneri celebrated
with a family gathering in Chicago.
Her husband, Carl ND ’70, retired on
the same weekend, so there were lots
of celebrations and surprises. Among
the celebrants were daughter Kristen
Maneri White ’94, her husband, Pier
White ND ’94, and their five children.
Joann also took a trip to Notre Dame
that weekend, as Kristen and family live
in South Bend. Joann is contemplating
retirement from the University of
Colorado Foundation this spring. As
she says, “Too many places to go and
people to see to be spending my day
at a computer!”
Martha Luken Best is enjoying
“doing the grandmother thing,”
based in Jackson Hole, Wyo. She and
her husband, Bill, celebrated their
60th birthdays, their 35th wedding
anniversary, and his retirement by
taking their kids and families to Europe
for a week. It was a memorable trip,
and Martha says, “We’re thankful those
occasions only come once in a lifetime.
It took us two months to recover! Next
time, we’ll go alone!”
Beverly Kenton Temple
celebrated turning 60 by going to
Disney World with husband Walt
Tunnell. They enjoyed the rides,
observing fireworks, and watching
parades, just as they had done on their
honeymoon! She describes it as “Great
fun being a kid again in what is really a
different world!”
Sara Bateman Koehler celebrated
turning 60 by getting together with
five high schools friends for four days
in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
“We hadn’t spent a decent amount of
time together for all these years and
decided it was time. We had more
fun than we ever imagined and have
already decided on a week-long event
next June. All we did for four days was
eat, drink wine, and share the stories
of our lives for the past 41 years. I think
we all need more time with wonderful
friends from long ago.”
New York City was a popular
destination for celebration. Pam Carey
Batz and her husband went there for a
wonderful weekend. “We had so much
fun that we are repeating the trip in
two weeks. I recommend it.”
Mary Lee Carr Charles and
Kathleen Ryan Hughes celebrated
the “big 60th” in New York City with
two other high school classmates
last April. (Mary Lee and Kathy
attended high school together in
the Washington, D.C. suburbs.) They
reported, “The high point of the trip
was going to see the wonderful revival
of South Pacific. From the orchestra’s
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Alumnae gathered in Nashville in July 2008, left to right: Tilly Fiehrer
Pfeiffer ’72, Rene Mirro Zimmer ’72, Carole McRedmond Nadler ’72, Evelyn
McRedmond Rodgers ’68, and Maureen McRedmond Foy ’73
first note, we were entranced! It was
the weekend of Pope Benedict’s
visit to New York, and we saw him
make his trip in the Pope-mobile
up Fifth Avenue. We enjoyed being
tourists—from Greenwich Village to
museums to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It
was a great birthday celebration.”
Nancy Delaney Nesbit also had
great fun celebrating her 60th in New
York City with friends. Then Nancy’s
husband, Bob ND ’69, and children
Caroline (along with her husband,
Jim), Peter, and Tracy arranged a
surprise birthday party. The kids put
together a beautiful scrapbook, which
included greetings from Sue Chase
Hildebrand, Margie Goodwin
Harrison, Sue Gudgeon Reilly, and
Bernadine Connolly Travers as well
as lots of great memories! Nancy
recently enjoyed a dinner with Sue
Reilly and Marilyn Riedy Claise and
keeps up with SMC news with the
Boston area SMC Book Club. She is still
working as a paralegal in Wellesley,
Mass., and says, “Life is good! Happy
60th to all!”
Donna Feliciello Holtz and her
husband, Bill celebrated their 33rd
wedding anniversary in New York last
February. Both are retired, so they
travel a lot from their home base in
Long Beach, Calif. In the fall, they went
to New Orleans, with a stop at Lake
Powell in Arizona. “What a treat it was
to motor around in a houseboat and
spend the warm days kayaking into
the narrow arms of the lake. It’s an
absolutely gorgeous place to visit.”
Although she is retired, Donna makes
“artsy” plants to sell at a local garden/
gift shop.
Mary Lou Wylie celebrated with
her husband, Lennis Echterling, along
with their son and daughter-in-law,
by spending the weekend with Mary
Lou’s brother and sister-in-law in
Philadelphia. Food seemed to be the
theme of the weekend, as they ate and
shopped at the Reading Terminal and
the Italian Market before having dinner
at a wonderful Italian restaurant that
specializes in food from the Abruzzi
region. She and her husband also had
an earlier celebration with three other
couples from high school by spending
a weekend together at the home of
the couples in the Ozark Mountains in
southern Missouri.
60th birthday celebrations to be
continued in our next class notes!
From the Courier Office: Jessica
J. Rinna Beling writes: This year’s
site for the girls’ get-away weekend,
Class of 1970, was Savannah, Ga. In
attendance were Liz Casey, Mary
Beth Tetlow DeNiro, Cathy Linnehan
Cronin, Debbie Byrne Tynan, Margie
Goodwin Harrison, Sue Gudgeon
Reilly, and Jessica Rinna Beling. We
spent the weekend at Sue Gudgeon
Reilly’s winter house in Savannah and
did a lot of sightseeing—including
the historic city, houses, churches, and
cemeteries. Of course, the best part
of the weekend was the opportunity
to see each other and to find out
what everyone has been up to as
well as how each one’s families are
doing. This event was our second
get-together and plans are to repeat
the good times in another city.
’72
Melissa Underman Noyes
209 Southwest Hatteras Ct.
Palm City, FL 34990
(772) 781-4066
munoyes@bellsouth.net
Greetings! This class news column
comes from a wedding, as well as
A
ncient cities, architectural marvels, and sites of
cultural, natural, and historical significance are
yours to experience in Croatia, destination of the
Fall 2009 Alumnae Association tour.
Highlights of the city of Dubrovnik included Stari Grad,
the old town founded by the ancient Greeks in 34 BC
and the 15th century Rector’s Palace home to 15,000
Venetian and Dalmatian works of art. Split and Ljubljana
also boast historical landmarks and the Upper Town of
Zagreb is considered one of the best preserved medieval
cities in Europe.
Natural wonders are found all over Croatia, including
Plitvice Lakes, the Postojna caves, and Alpine lakes
and peaks.
Come with family and friends to experience the
cultural riches of Croatia, Jewel of the Adriatic.
For more information about this trip, visit
saintmarys.edu/alumnae-travel.
CWhcVYf%)!&( &$$Croatia
Jewel of Adriatic
$1,989
per person, plus airfare.
$250 per person non-refundable deposit due with reservation.
Final payment due 90 days prior to departure.
For additional information contact
the travel agency directly
at 877-303-7735.
A deluxe tour for alumnae and friends
classnews
classnews
several e-mails and Christmas cards!
The wedding took place Aug.
9, 2008, in New York City. Bill and
Heather Tripucka Carr’s daughter,
Ashley, married Terence Huvane at
Fordham University Church with a
reception at Tavern on the Green. It
was a mini-reunion for several of us,
including Tom and Janet Teichen
McHugh, Kate Berney Werring,
Frances Spinks Caver, Maura Carroll,
and Bill and Claire Mignelli Hughes.
It was a beautiful wedding and a lovely
summer evening. We met for brunch
the next day, and most of the group
went to Claire Hughes’ home in Wall,
N.J. By the way, Heather is now Dr.
Carr, having earned her Ph.D. last year.
Several weeks later, Heather attended
a J.V. soccer game coached by her
new son-in-law at Pelham (New York)
High School. On the sidelines, she
thought she saw a familiar face—it
was Ed Davey ND ’71, whose son is on
the team.
The first e-mail I received was
from Terri McLaughlin Patterson
(tkpatterson@comcast.net), who must
have more stamps on her passport
than most of us put together! Terri
and her husband, Kevin, had been in
Kazakjstan until a sudden job change.
They are now in Duri, Indonesia, about
midway up the island of Sumatra.
Kevin is with Chevron, now Chevron
Pacific Indonesia. They are living in
a company camp again and Terry
says that procuring necessities is
a challenge since they are not in a
metropolitan area. They have many
opportunities to travel and have been
to Bali, Thailand, Singapore, and had
a big trip to Australia planned for the
holidays. Terry also mentioned that it is
hot as the blazes! She is not teaching
but continues her stained-glass hobby,
golf, and mah jongh and is learning
some Asian cooking.
After receiving her Christmas card
with a new e-mail, I asked Ann Marie
Tracey for an update. She promises
to do something outrageous for my
next report! Ann Marie chairs the Ohio
Ethics Commission and is in her sixth
year teaching business law and ethics
at Xavier University. Her family life is
most important. She and her husband,
Dan Buckley, have a blended family
of five daughters with one grandchild
and two on the way! (traceya@xavier.
edu).
Another e-mail came from Beazy
Pohl Zielony who lives in Oregon.
Her youngest daughter, Kathryn,
teaches first grade in Oahu for Teach
for America. Kathryn attended the
Hawaii Bowl and had her picture on
the front page of the Observer holding
signs supporting Notre Dame. Beezy’s
nephew is on the football team,
34
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
classnews
although he did not play in the bowl
game.
A Christmas card with a picture
of her three grandchildren and two
dogs arrived from Mac and Kathleen
Cotter Cauley. Kathleen and Mary
Lou Gorno see each other often—this
year at a wedding, the Notre Dame-Pitt
game, and an annual trip that took
them to North Carolina. Mary Lou
is on the executive committee at
the University of Chicago. Mac and
Kathleen live in Washington, where
she has a practice and teaches, and
she still travels to her practice in Tampa
several times a year. They are also still
training and fostering guide dogs.
Where have the years gone?? My
column used to be filled with our own
weddings and careers; then news of
our children. Now we have moved
into an amazingly wonderful new
realm—that of grandchildren!! Those
of you who have none will tolerate
those of us who do—but just wait
. . .they will change your life! I spent
the Christmas holidays in New York
City. On Dec. 14, my daughter, Jessica,
gave us a wonderful Christmas gift:
Sadie Harper McEntee! She joins a big
brother, Finlay, 2. I melt when Finn
says my name (“Mimi”) and promise
him anything he wants! After all, isn’t
that what we are supposed to do?
Over the holidays, I was also able to
see Maura Carroll in the Hamptons
and Claire Hughes and Heather Carr,
who helped me celebrate another
birthday with a long lunch at Saks in
the City. I am back in Florida, enjoying
the weather—until I need another
grandchild fix!
I hope by the time you read this
news that we are well into a healthy,
happy, and prosperous (if possible!)
2009.
As always, I send my love to all of
you!
Lohle, Bobbie Kuhn Riconosciuto,
Jeannelle Naquin Brady, Julie
Griffin Murphy, Carol Longo Kaupp,
Jan Gabler Cranfield, Natalie
Dwyer-Haller and me. Judie brought
stories of her recent trip to Rome with
daughter Emily and husband Rich as
well as her hopes for Chicago winning
the Olympics 2016 bid, as the week we
met was “Olympics week” in Beijing.
Natalie was preparing to imagine
life with the twins starting college in
two years, while Kate would still be in
Marquette. Jeannelle, grandmother of
lovely Ellie and Ben, baked the most
marvelous fresh blueberry pie ever.
Bobbie was preparing for the wedding
of daughter Nina Riconosciuto
’01 later in the summer. Meanwhile,
Jan had started preparing for the
wedding of her oldest daughter, Bree,
in December. It was hard to keep track
of all of Julie’s grown kids out on their
own, but we all noted that it must
have been tremendously fun for both
Murph and her husband, Bob ND
’74, to enjoy the time son Kevin was
on the ND basketball team recently.
Now he’s all grown up and out there
in the working world in Dallas. As for
Dede, in the same year, son Patrick
graduated from medical school and
daughter Michelle received her MBA
from Harvard and joined a major
investment firm . . .a great deal to be
proud of, and some lovely photos were
shared from the graduations. Carol
arrived earlier from California to visit
with Dede in Chicago, and when our
little getaway was finished, she was
going on another vacation in Yosemite
with her family. Jackie still has the
youngest child in our group—we
all can’t believe that Richard is still in
middle school! I hope he can do an
“egg beater” impersonation for his
classmates too.
Ann O’Boyle Nash dropped
in to our “large cottage” because
she had heard from Judie that we
would be gathering—her family has
a shared home nearby. It was lovely
to see her, even if it was only briefly
as husband Tom ND ’74 went off to
play golf. She mentioned that Joan
Dautremont Gluck had organized a
get together for several of their mutual
college friends at the Jersey shore
for later in the autumn. I hope it was
super! Ann noted that Joan is a great
host—knocks herself out to do it right.
I traveled to the ND-Purdue
football game, which was a good
one, with my son Willie, 16. He was
amazed at the environment—had
never seen anything like it. I told him
that the ND guys, back in my day, had
rolled beer kegs to Lafayette for the
away games. He couldn’t believe it,
but I do remember team Barry/Bob
ND ’74/Milt/Jeff huffing and puffing
away! Although our visit at ND/
SMC was short, we did manage to
meet Jeannelle Naquin Brady and
Jill Fahey Birkett
15 Auldwood Road
Stamford, CT 06902-7815
(203) 353-9647
jbirkettct@yahoo.com
Summer ’08 was the scene of a
great get-together in New Buffalo,
Mich., for a group of my dear college
friends. Kudos to Mary Ellen Raphael,
who organized it on rather short
notice and managed to pull most of
us together. She and her husband,
Rob, spent much of the spring and
summer on driving trips around the
U.S., where she learned how to fly fish!
Between those trips, she managed to
pull together Jackie Schimizzi Ehlert,
Judie Moore Green, Dede Simon
’76
Mariann McCabe Brehl
324 Old Route 304
New City, NY 10956-5718
(845) 638-0627
mbrehl@optonline.net
Leslie F. Wilson
333 W. North Ave., PMB 139
Chicago, IL 60610-1293
lfwilson@hotmail.com
’74
husband Brian ND ’74 at their crowded
and delicious tailgate. We tried to find
Judie Moore Green and her family,
as she was joining a tailgate with
Anne Cisle Murray and Deb Schwarz
Pierre, but our cell phones couldn’t
reach each other!
Some news I received from Ginny
Gilbert Pfeffer: Following graduation
from Saint Mary’s, she married Dr.
Robert Pfeffer, a neurologist in New
York. Their lovely daughter, Katharine
Gilbert McAneny, has just graduated
from the SMC Accelerated Nursing
Program. Ginny herself is a nurse case
manager in New York City. Ginny,
do you remember the lost ring in
the shower of Le Mans? THAT was a
memorable day.
Please write, dear old friends,
with your news, and even if you don’t
remember me, please write because
your friends would love to hear your
news and how you are doing.
Maureen Mustico Kimble writes:
Suzanne Curtin Haley, Maureen
Mustico Kimble, and Phyllis Quinn
met in Bethesda, Md., this past
November. Maureen has been friends
with both since attending Saint Mary’s.
This was the first time that Suzanne
and Phyllis had seen each other in
32 years. Suzanne and her husband
Martin have three grown children and
live in Easton, Md. Phyllis is a reading
specialist with Montgomery County
School System and lives in Bethesda,
Md.
Suzanne Curtin Haley, Maureen Mustico Kimble, and Phyllis Quinn, all
graduates of 1974, met in Bethesda, Maryland, this past November.
Maureen has been friends with both since attending Saint Mary’s College.
This was the first time that Suzanne and Phyllis had seen each other in 32
years. Both have been very good friends throughout the years. Suzanne
and her husband, Martin, have three grown children and live in Easton,
Maryland. Phyllis is a reading specialist with Montgomery County School
System and lives in Bethesda.
Mary Reynolds O’Connor has
been traveling a lot lately: following
her daughter Siobhan’s basketball
career at Villanova. Siobhan was
red-shirted her first year, so this, her
fifth year at Villanova, is her last year
of playing guard for the team. Mary
teaches high school, and took a
leave of absence this year. Mary took
graduate courses and traveled to Africa
to share her skills with students there.
Pam Gavelda Hummer has just
completed her 33rd year of teaching in
the Cleveland school district and also
works at the teachers’ union. Pam’s son
John is a freshman at the University of
Cincinnati, and as his mom did in 1972,
he headed down to the Orange Bowl
for the game on New Year’s Day.
Ellen Wuellner Moran shuttles
to South Bend regularly to visit
her daughter and her family, with
grandchild number one. Ellen’s second
grandchild was born this year, and he
lives a short drive from the Morans in
Anchorage. Ellen works in the Alaska
court system. “Sarah Palin” was not a
new name to these Alaska voters!
Teresa LaCava Gaydosz is one of
the few SMC grads who still live in the
town in which she grew up. Theresa
and Steve have raised their four kids in
Ellwood City, Pa., and now boast that
all of their kids are married and out of
the house!
Patti Gorman Mazzacavallo and
her husband Bob ND ’76 celebrated
their 25th anniversary this year and
flew from their home state of Oregon
to South Bend for the Stanford game.
Their son Tom is now a senior at ND
and will graduate this year with a
degree in chemical engineering. Patti
chairs the parish food drive, which
provides needy families with Christmas
dinner and a week’s supply of food.
Leslie Wilson is winding up her
years of service as country director
for Save the Children in Afghanistan.
Living in Kabul, Leslie has endured
many physical and cultural challenges
with grace and wit. She will leave
Afghanistan knowing that the
programs she administered changed
the lives of Afghan women and
children now and in the future.
Marianne McCabe Brehl works
for Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson,
in New York’s Hudson Valley. Folks
say “Got cookies?” when she tells
people where she works. The joke
is: her job is to help the council sell
cookies! Marianne’s oldest daughter
will graduate from the University
of Chicago in June, and her second
daughter, Genevieve, is an engineering
major at Notre Dame.
’84
Diane Smith Poirier
810 Washington Road
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230
Joe131@msn.com
Sharon Manion Trockman
133 Carol Gate Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
strockman@comcast.net
From Diane: Hope all is well with
all of you! Thanks to everyone who
responded to my e-mail request for
our class news. This June is our 25th
class reunion! Hard to believe! I know
that some of you now have daughters
at Saint Mary’s.
I hope we have a great turnout
This class of ’80 grads celebrated their 50th birthdays together in Santa Fe,
NM. (It comes sooner than you think recent grads!) A spa visit, The Wine
and Chili Festival, and power shopping x8 created a memorable milestone.
Friendships renewed were the true highlight of the weekend. The gift of
attending SMC continues to be unwrapped after all these years.
Pictured in back left to right: Rosemary Borris Hughes, Pam Zinger Pedler,
Jocelyn Harvey Bosick, Barbara Pratt Kinel, and Lisa Mistretta. Front: Mindy
Murphy, Laurie Kielbasa Casazza, and Mary Jo McCormack Meyer.
in June. The dates are June 4-7, 2009.
Kathleen Murphy and Elaine Hocter
Moore have been working on the
reunion this past winter. Murph has
a request for any contact info on the
following classmates: Judy Trippe
Geaslen, Diane Cardis Tripp, and
Brigid Donaher MacDonald. She
is tracking down Judy for a senior
bar reunion; reaching out to Diane
because she was a good friend of Julia
Kraft Matisko, who passed away from
breast cancer on Sept.16, 2005, and
trying to contact Brigid because she
was a close friend of Carol Schirmer
Hunt, who passed away on Feb. 12,
1994. We would like to include a prayer
at our reunion Mass for the deceased
members of the class. If anyone has
an address or e-mail for Judy, Diane, or
Bridget, please forward it to Murph at
kmurphy224@aol.com.
Also, our condolences to Murph
and her family on the loss of her father
this past summer.
Clare Condon Engling wrote
me a short note while on vacation
in Florida over the holidays. She is
enjoying her vacation with her four
children (ages 2, 5, 7, and 9) and
husband, Tim. She looks forward to
seeing everyone at reunion.
Kelly Cambron Fretwell writes
that she is looking forward to
attending the reunion with Maria
Lopez Honan and, she hopes, Janet
Del Giudice. Kelly has been married
for four years to Bruce Fretwell. They
have a darling three-year-old girl
named Annie. Kelly says that she’s
having so much fun but knows now
why women have babies when
they are younger! She practices
workers’ compensation and social
security disability law in Port St. Lucie,
Fla., which is just next to her own
community of Vero Beach.
Lynne Masini Eckardt sent an
e-mail. She has been married for
almost 22 years to Don. They have two
children: Hank, 16 and Alexandra, 20
and a junior at Saint Mary’s majoring
in biology. Alexandra spent spring ’08
in the Rome program, and Lynne and
Don enjoyed two weeks traveling with
her. They live in Canton, Mich., just
outside of Ann Arbor. Lynne runs her
own distributorship of professional
day spa products, and she and her
reps cover the state of Michigan.
She gets together with some of our
classmates about once a year: Kim
Mayer Stofft (Del Ray Beach, Fla.); Geri
Burge Greger (Cornelius, N.C.); Anne
Posega ’85 (St. Louis, Mo.), and Alice
Kaufmann (who attended SMC from
1980-82.) She also writes that on April
27, 2005, we lost our very dear friend
Mary Pat Golden. “She was such an
inspiration during her struggle with
cancer and is missed so much.”
Sheila Russ Robbins writes a
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
35
classnews
note from Columbus, Ohio. She was
commissioned in the U.S. Navy in
December of 1983 through the Navy
ROTC unit at Notre Dame. She has
been stationed in numerous locations
over the years: Gulfport, Miss. (son
Tyler born at Kessler AFB in Nov. 1984),
Agana, Guam (daughter Morgan was
born there Sept. 1987), Washington,
D.C.; aboard the USS Hunley, Norfolk,
Va.; and Sasebo, Japan. Sheila earned
her MBA at Old Dominion University in
May of 1995. She was commissioned
on the USS Bonhomme Richard in
Pascagoula, Miss., and San Diego, Calif.
She retired in December of 2003 from
the Defense Supply Center (DSCC)
in Columbus, Ohio, and is currently
a contract administrator for DSCC.
She has been married to Emberson L.
Robbins for 25 years and spent their
anniversary this year by vacationing
in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Their son, Tyler, is
working on his master’s in mechanical
engineering at Purdue University;
Morgan is working on her bachelor’s
in computer graphics at Mount Union
College in Alliance, Ohio.
I also received a note from Katie
Keenan Chelsky: “Mark and I are
looking forward to our 25th in June.
Our oldest daughter Christie is a
freshman at Notre Dame, living in
Walsh Hall and loving every minute
of her college experience. Our son
Connor is a sophomore at Xavier
High School, running cross country
and track and just starting to look at
colleges. It’s nice to know we won’t
be too lonely, since we have two
more boys at home: Riley, 7th grade,
and Jack, 5th grade—both basketball
players. Our lives these days revolve
around tournaments and just trying
to keep up with the boys. Looking
forward to seeing everyone at reunion.”
Thanks for the note, Katie!
Anne Archibald Deutsch
accomplished a great feat! She ran
and finished the Chicago Marathon in
October of 2008 along with 33,000+
runners! Anne did the Chicago
Marathon in 1979 at the age of 17
and always wanted to try it again! She
writes: “Juggling six kids’ schedules and
finding time to train was a feat in itself.”
Great job, Annie!
And from Betsy Quinn: “Greetings
from the Windy City! I am currently
the president of the American
Alliance for Theatre and Education.
In addition, I am the drama teacher
and arts department chair at Haven
Middle School in Evanston, Ill. I am
also the drama department chair
of the Evanston public schools and
teach in the theatre department at
Northwestern University. Looking
36
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
classnews
forward to seeing everyone at
reunion!”
Thanks to everyone for
responding! My husband, Joe, and I
spent two weeks in Playa Del Carmen,
Mexico, last spring and loved every
minute of it! We also spent some time
in northern Michigan last summer. We
are enjoying our new home in Grosse
Pointe, Mich., and have some projects
planned for this spring. Joe just
celebrated his 20 years on the Grosse
Pointe Park Public Safety Department.
Take care everyone, and hope to
see you all at reunion this June!
From Sharon: Mark your calendars
for our 25th Reunion, June 4-7, 2009.
Please plan to attend and reconnect
with classmates. Unfortunately, I will
not be able to attend because of a
family commitment. If you, too, are
not able to attend Reunion 2009 but
would like to share your latest news
with classmates via the Courier, please
e-mail your information to me at
strockman@comcast.net. If you plan to
attend Reunion 2009 and have news
you would like to share, please feel free
to forward it to me.
My own news: I have lived in
Wheaton, Ill., for the past 14 years.
My daughter, Laura, is a freshman
at Indiana University and currently
rushing for a sorority. The sorority
concept is completely foreign to me,
as I know it is to all my classmates. I
am so glad we did not have a Greek
system on campus. Son Aaron is a
junior in high school and recently
received his Eagle Scout award.
Youngest son Ryan is trying to see
how many different sports he can play
in one season. His newest passion is
lacrosse, for which I am trying to learn
the rules.
From the Courier Office: Mary
Catherine Georgas-Flath writes:
“In July 2008, my family (husband
Al ND ’83 and son Allen, 14) visited
with my Saint Mary’s best friend and
roommate, Mary Beth Delaney
Weber, at her home in Indianapolis.
Mary Beth’s husband, Jim (IU), and their
four children, Madeline, 14, Delaney,
12, Mary Grace, 9, and Johnny, 8,
entertained us in spectacular fashion,
and we plan to make this “minireunion” an annual July event from
now on. Mary Beth and I are looking
forward to our upcoming reunion at
Saint Mary’s. We can’t wait to see our
other roommates and friends.
“Mary Beth is the IT director for
a group of Catholic hospitals in the
Midwest region. I am a professor of
anatomy and physiology at Ashland
Community and Technical College in
Ashland, Ky. In May of 2008, I won the
prestigious ‘first ever’ Gussler Fellow
Endowed Chair Award at ACTC. The
newly established award is given to a
professor of math or science who has
’changed the lives’ of their students
in a positive fashion. I love teaching
community college students and learn
from them everyday.”
Rosie Crowe Rowland writes:
“I’ve been busy trying to perfect the
multi-tasking ability thing that so
many of us find ourselves doing at
this age! I am working as a critical
care float nurse at St. Joseph Medical
Center in South Bend, as I have
since graduation. I’ve really enjoyed
my work and profession...I guess I
made a good choice in a major all
those years ago as an undergrad. In
addition to work, I’m busy with my
husband, Chris, raising, supporting,
encouraging, driving, feeding,
nurturing, etc., our five kids. This past
May, our oldest, Ben, graduated from
ND. Our second child, Meredith, is
graduating this May from ND as well.
It’s been a lot of fun to see them
grow in friendship with their college
roommates and friends over the
years via the dances, football games,
and tailgates! We still have three to
go, so I hope to have a daughter
attend SMC, too! Looking forward
to our 25th anniversary celebration!
’86
Mary Fran Gisch Kitz
4931 Lee Ave
Downers Grove, IL 60515
(630) 541-3886
mkitz62@aol.com
Hello, classmates! Lori Janko
Wilke e-mailed that she is doing well
in Peru, Ill. Lori says, “In August, I will
be celebrating my 19th year as a State
Farm agent in Peru. Business is great,
and I love my work. My children are
Mason, 13, and Emma, 10, and in June,
Bill and I will be married for 18 years.”
Lori says, “Emma is already set to go
to Saint Mary’s. She visited a local girl
last year overnight during Little Sibs
weekend and had a blast.” Good job
recruiting!
Lori notes that she keeps up with
Liz Meehan and Theresa Hardy
Gaffney and that both are well. During
freshman year, Liz, Theresa, Lori, and
I lived down the hall from each other
on fourth floor McCandless. Lori and
Theresa were both at Liz’s wedding
three years ago. Liz and her husband
live in Wilmington, Del. Theresa and
Ted live in Wakefield, Mass., with their
five children. Lori and I both say, “Hi, we
miss you!” to Rosemarie Drake, Lori’s
roommate. Thanks for your update,
Lori!
Susan Roab Kloberdanz and
I ran into each other this summer
as we dropped our daughters off
at Doug Bruno basketball camp in
Lisle, Ill! Susan is doing great! Her
thirteen-year-old daughter Abby is a
good basketball player, like her mom.
As a teen, Susan also attended the
same Doug Bruno camp that Abby
attends. Pretty cool! Susan and her
husband Brian also have twins who are
first graders, Claire and Drew. Susan
e-mailed, “I have to bounce back and
forth from the teenage world and the
young elementary school age!” Susan
writes, “Brian is an oral surgeon, and
I am busy with the universal mom
stuff…driving kids everywhere, scout
leader, volunteering, vacation Bible
school, watching kids’ sports and
music events. We live in St. Charles.
Now that they’re older I want to go
back to work/school.” Susan earned her
MBA and MPH over a decade ago.
Susan says that she meets up
with Carol Branka, Carolyn Reppa,
and Kathy McNeeley for dinner from
time to time, and that those ladies are
doing well. Thanks for the news, Susan!
Jeanne Grammens Hidalgo
is doing well in Indy. Jeanne says,
“I continue to be blessed with my
work/ministry at Marian College. I
am often amazed by the students.”
Jeanne says her position in campus
ministry, with an “emphasis on service
and social justice is heaven sent” and
calls the job a “perfect fit” for her. All
of us who know Jeanne realize the
many gifts that she brings to those
lucky Marian students! Jeanne is busy
helping her oldest, Nicholas, choose
the right college, as well as keeping
up with Gabrielle, 16, Madeleine, 14,
and Tomas, 10. Jeanne says, “I enjoy
going up north in the summer with
the children to Alpena, Mich. We go to
my grandma’s cottage, where we pick
strawberries and make jam. We also
enjoy bike riding in the area.”
Laura Ingallinera Cody writes
that she and Bill are doing well in
Wilton, Conn. Laura says, “Billy is now
a sophomore at Boston College…
He loves all things BC…Tommy is a
senior at Wilton High School and is
waiting to hear from colleges. This
spring he rowed in the Youth National
Championships in Cincinnati. Lauren is
a sophomore at Wilton and continues
to bless us with her beautiful
Christmas card each year. She can’t
wait to start driver’s ed in February…
when did that sneak up on us? Bill and
I are well, happy, and grateful for a life
blessed with faith, family, and friends.”
Laura’s brother is ill, and she asked for
prayers for him, his wife, and sons. Our
anniversary! We stayed in a villa in
Tuscany for a week, and toured Rome,
Assisi, Venice, for another week. The
sites, the food, the wine—amazing!
Our daughters, Catherine, 13, and
Megan, 11, will be attending Fine
Arts Camp at Saint Mary’s again this
summer. In fact, it will be Catherine’s
fourth year to attend. They both love
it! Cece Gallagher Kilpatrick’s daughter
Nora was also at Fine Arts Camp on
the same week last summer. It was fun
to run into them. Our oldest, Brendan,
is a sophomore at Montini Catholic
High School, and is on the golf team.
Please share your news with us!
Send me an e-mail soon! God bless.
’88
In December 2008 Sister Virginia Jung, O.S.B. ’80 pronounced perpetual
vows as a Benedictine Sister. Her current ministry is at Grace House, a
program of St. Leonard’s Ministries, where she holds the position of AfterCare Director. The women who are residents there are transitioning from
life in prison to independent living.
prayers are with you all.
Susan Avitabile Huschke and
Mark continue their busy outdoorsy
lifestyle in Eden Prairie, Minn. Suzie
says, “I’m teaching at the same Catholic
school for the third year now, five
different math classes for 6th, 7th, and
8th graders. That and following the
kids around keep me out of trouble.”
Elizabeth, 16, plays cello (like her
mom!) and soccer and enjoys French
camp. Adrienne, 14, is on the Nordic
ski team and soccer team, and plays
saxophone and piano. Daniel, 11, plays
many sports, trumpet, piano, and likes
fishing. Add in a little family hiking and
canoeing and I’m exhausted!”
Betsy Van Devere Grosser,
husband Jurgen, and four children
visited us in Downers Grove this
summer. The family lives in Germany,
and it was a treat to have them here
for a few days, as they spend most
of the summer with Betsy’s family in
Akron, Ohio. Their daughter, Katie, is
deciding on colleges, having options
both in Germany and the States. John
and Annie are in grade school, and
little Mary is a preschooler.
We had some of our Ireland
group over to visit with Betsy and
Jurgen while they were in town. Cece
Gallagher Kilpatrick and Dan joined
us. Cece is working as an attorney parttime and is busy with their three girls
in Chicago. Julie Lackner Ryan and
Paul ND ’86 also made it. Julie is busy
with their four children in Willowbrook,
Ill. They somehow manage to attend
a wonderful trip every year with Paul’s
family. Dan Earner ND ’86, Dennis
Murphy ND ’86 and his wife also joined
us. Fun to catch up with the Ireland
group!
We missed Chicagoans, Sheila
Beary Quinn and Shaun, at the Ireland
gathering. Sheila is an attorney in
Chicago and busy with their little ones,
Katie, Colleen, and Connor.
Teresa Keefe Konrad, another
from our Ireland program, and her
husband, Scott, are doing well in
Brooklyn, N.Y. Their oldest son, Kevin,
is in high school, and Caleb and Ian
are both in grade school. Teresa is a
free-lance writer.
Marci Woods Kilpatrick and
Kevin ND ’86, who were both in our
Ireland Program, are still living in
Kazakhstan. I got to visit with Marci
briefly this summer in South Bend,
where her parents live, while the
family was spending some time there.
Marci, Kevin, and their five kids do an
amazing job of adapting to all the
interesting locales in which they have
lived. Their oldest, Connor, is now a
freshman at West Point; Quinn and
Eileen are in high school; and Liam and
Aidan are in grade school. We’ll see
where they land next!
As for us, we are happy and
healthy. Mike ND ’85, the kids, and I
were blessed with a wonderful family
trip to Italy with Mike’s family to
celebrate his parent’s 50th wedding
Amanda Falvey Conmy
638 Friar Drive
Yardley, PA 19067-3467
(215) 736-8468
Smc88@comcast.net
Debra Keller Shishman
19389 County Road 16
Bristol, IN 46507-8952
Mary Kathleen Scheid
264 Teague Drive
San Dimas, CA 91773-3374
(909) 592-7737
marykay@scheid@yahoo.com
Jamie Smith Taradash
939 West Argyle Street, #1-E
(773) 531-4710
taradash@comcast.net
Mary Kay Scheid writes: 2009
marks the tenth anniversary of my
second move to California. Fellow Los
Angeles SMC Alumnae Club member
Anne Borgman and I have had
multiple conversations about moving
elsewhere (neither of us are native
Californians), but California continues
to treat us well. My son Michael started
high school this year and I have been
slowly processing the idea that he will
be off to college in about three years.
I teach middle school students by
day and graduate students by night;
it’s hard to say which is the tougher
audience to please. I enjoy frequent
trips back to Chicago, where it is
always a pleasure to visit with Jamie
Smith Taradash.
Jamie Smith Taradash shares: As
I write, it’s New Year’s Eve. Looking
back, 2008 was a challenging year,
but the reunion was certainly a
highlight. Reconnecting with so many
classmates has been great fun! On
a sultry night in July, I had a lovely
dinner in Evanston with Mary Kay
Scheid, who was back in the Chicago
area for a family visit. Later in the
summer, Clare Van Hecke Korte and
I jetted off to Honolulu for ten days of
sunning on the beach and hanging
out at my grandparents’ home (no
spouses, no children, plenty of fruity
cocktails!). I’ve been zipping e-mails
back and forth with Regina Rudser
Hoyt of Newton, Mass., Andrea
Thomas Barnes of Atlanta, Ga., and
Karen Chandler Axelrod of Fairfax, Va.
Reg and I plan to meet An in Atlanta
for a girls’ weekend in January. Hello
to Mary Leonard, Elizabeth Arthur
Meyers, and Anne Borgman. I’ve
thought of you often and hope that
you’re doing well. Cheers to 2009!
Colleen Harty Taricani writes:
My oldest Joey just turned 5, and
my daughter Kate is 3. They keep
me super busy! I volunteer at their
preschool, and they both are into
soccer. I’m training for a half marathon
in California in January. I recently
joined Facebook and have loved
getting back in touch with so many
Saint Mary’s friends.
Meghan Farley Astrachan,
director of drama and performing
arts chair at LREI in New York’s
Greenwich Village relates: “I will be
taking another production to the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.”
In 2006, Meghan took her production
of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of
Being Earnest” to Edinburgh and won
a Sell-Out-Show Award! Meghan lives
in downtown NYC with her husband,
French-American architect Isaac-Daniel
Astrachan and her young son Aidhan.
Please keep me informed
throughout the rest of this year!
I check e-mail regularly and am
learning how to use Facebook.
’90
Lisa Catenacci Midkiff
626 Blackthorne Court
Chesapeake, VA 23322
midkiffjl@cox.net
Amy Junius
875 W. Cornelia Ave., Unit 1
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 296-2093
amyjunius@yahoo.com
Sharon Marie Kahn
1100 N. Dearborn Parkway
Apt. 405
Shannon McGowan Gannon
836 North Catherine Ave.
LaGrange Park, IL 60526
Sgannon836@yahoo.com
COURIER
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Spring 2009
37
classnews
From Shannon: I need to offer
everyone a quick apology for my
absence over the past year or so. A
few points of craziness in my life (aside
from turning 40!) shifted my attention
to other issues, but now I am back and
fully engaged, as they say. Thankfully,
we have Lisa Catenacci Midkiff to
always pick up my slack. I can never
claim to be remotely tech savvy, but I
reluctantly joined Facebook (FB) at the
urging of my sister, Patsy McGowan
Donahue ’92. It has been quite
entertaining and delightful! There are
a number of 1990 SMCers out there, so
come join the fun. Everyone looks just
great and unbelievably similar to the
days when we left SMC!
Lisa Amore wrote: “After spending
nearly seven-and-a-half years in
Seattle, I grew tired of the rain and
missed the excitement of a big city on
the East Coast. I moved back ’home’
to Washington, D.C., in the summer
of 2007.” Lisa owns a boutique PR
agency specializing in consumer
technology and digital media: AMORE
Marketing and Public Relations, www.
amorepr.com. Lisa is very busy on the
Washington PR scene. She has been
to all types of political shindigs for
President Obama. Her excitement is
palpable!
Tina Donahue Darrah is living a
very busy and full life. She has three
kids: Blair, 10, Conan, 7, and Brody, 4.
Tina is a freelance makeup artist, which
allows her a great deal of flexibility.
She remains active in juvenile diabetes
advocacy as her little Conan fights this
condition. Tina is an active FB user, so
that allows for frequent updates with
lots of good news!
Liz Ehret Bardwell is happy
and healthy living in Maine with
her husband, Dwight, and their
darling children: Zoe Grace, 9, Jack,
8, and Alexis, 5. Courtney Jamieson
Dorning and her husband, Mike,
have kept busy this Christmas with
the arrival of Caroline Maeve. What
a cutie! Courtney works as an editor
at National Public Radio. They live
in Washington, D.C. Barbie Jeffers
Reif wrote that she and her husband,
John, moved “to the St. Louis/Belleville
area for his job with the local utility
company buying and selling electricity
and natural gas. We love it here. I am
able to stay at home, so I now play
chauffeur to my daughters, Keeley and
Katie, and play with Facebook way too
much. I stay in touch with Kristene
Murphy Hergenrother, who was very
disappointed when we moved to St.
Louis instead of Houston, and Martha
Judge, who just moved back to Spring
Lake, N.J. I am really excited to be
closer to South Bend. In fact, two SMC
alums live across the street!”
38
COURIER
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Spring 2009
classnews
Tracey Hayes Uruba and her
husband, Bill, welcomed Sean Patrick
Uruba on Nov. 19, 2008. Sean joins
big brother, Liam, at their home in
Winnetka, Ill. Tracey continues to be an
outstanding teacher in Lincolnwood.
Deirdre Lyne married George
Churchill this summer in a
breathtakingly beautiful wedding.
Deirdre continues to shape and form
lives as the principal at Crow Island
School in Winnetka. The Churchills
live in Elmhurst, Ill. Also in Elmhurst
are Moira Scully Papp and Christine
Cronin Falkenberg. Moira and her
husband, Jim, welcomed James
Edward Papp, Jr., on Sept. 8, 2008. Big
sisters Annie and Claire were thrilled
with the arrival of their little brother.
Christine and Tom ND ’87 stay busy
with their own little basketball team:
Tommy, Danny, Patrick, Kevin, and
Ryan. Since her fantastic wedding
shower on the porch of Navarre almost
twenty years ago, Christine looks the
same—great!
I frequently have the chance to
catch up with fellow classmates in
the LaGrange area. Lisa Cellini Doyle
and Kevin ND ’89 keep busy with their
darling brood of five: Maggie, Kevin,
Kate, Caroline, and Luke. Lisa and
Kevin are both very active at their kids’
school and in local sports teams. Also
in LaGrange, Erin McCarthy Sheridan
and Luke ND ’89 run a similar lifestyle
with their kids: Cullen, Deirdre, and
Patrick. Erin evens find time to run a
business, Stationery Stop, out of her
home. Christeen O’Brien Paulison
and Woody ND ’89 and their whole
gang (Andrew, Sam, Mary Kate, Annie,
Molly, and Michael) recently left
LaGrange to head to the northern
lights in Edina, Minn., for Woody’s job
with United Health.
Ellen Willson Hoover and Gary
are leaving beautiful North Carolina
to move to the Bavarian hills in
Germany this summer for a three-year
assignment. As for the freelancing,
Ellen is active with her writing. If you
check out FB, you can find links to
some of her articles. In addition to all
of that, the Hoovers keep busy with
their darling children: Nora and Jack.
Ellen provided an update on
Peggy Sullivan Monahan and Jon
ND ’90. Jon began having a series
of strokes in the fall of 2008. After
spending over a month in the hospital,
he is progressing well. He is at home
now and is swallowing almost fully,
motoring around with a cane, and
working part-time from home. Peggy
says his spirits are always good.
Jon’s first real meal was Christmas
dinner with the family. In the early
part of 2009, they will spend a large
amount of time with follow-up doctor
Classmates from the class of ’90 celebrate their 40th birthdays in July
2008 at Bethany Beach, Delaware! Top row, left to right: Kathy Frederick
Grashof, Sheila Dooley Evans, Beth Bowman Zuhosky, Patty Piercy Cushing,
Mary Beth Blajda Green. Next row, left to right: Lisa Catenacci Midkiff, Amy
Heimberg, Deirdre Milon Ralph, and seated Maria Telesca
appointments to discuss continued
treatment, progress, and the future.
Please keep the Monahans in your
thoughts and prayers. Peggy and
Jon wish to extend their deep thanks
for all the prayers and support they
have received from the SMC/ND
community.
From Lisa: First of all, please note
my corrected e-mail address in this
edition. I hope to receive more news
next time!
Happy 40th birthday, everyone!
I hope everyone enjoyed their day. I
celebrated mine in Bethany Beach,
Del., with a few names you may
recognize. Kathy Frederick Grashof,
Beth Bowman Zuhosky, Patty Piercy
Cushing, Mary Beth Blajda Green,
Amy Heimberg, Maria Telesca,
Sheila Dooley Evans, Deirdre Milon
Ralph, and I enjoyed a fabulous girls’
weekend together in July. Thanks to
the generosity and bravery of Deirdre’s
parents, Bill and Suzanne Milon, we
took over their house and enjoyed
many laughs, happy hours, and
memories. After pampering ourselves
at the spa and nail salon, we enjoyed a
weekend at the beach and dining out.
I will treasure the memories always!
Then in October, we did it (almost)
again, meeting at the Navy/Notre
Dame game in Baltimore, Md., but
this time we included spouses and
children. Beth Bowman Zuhosky,
Patty Piercy Cushing, Amy
Heimberg, Maria Telesca, Sheila
Dooley Evans, Deirdre Milon Ralph,
Irene Quinn Winston, and I enjoyed a
great tailgater and game.
I received an e-mail from Jane
Schnell McNamara. Jane lives
near Charleston, S.C., with husband
Tom and three children: Tom, 16,
Jimmy, 14, and Caroline, 12. Jane is
busy keeping the family running.
’92
Patricia McGowan
Donahue
2315 Ken Oak Road
Baltimore, MD 21209
Smc92news@yahoo.com
Rachel Lamb
Schrepferman
3729 Fairway Lane
Louisville, KY 40207-1414
(502) 897-0044
rachelshep@bellsouth.net
From Patsy: Congratulations to
Brigid Brooks Zvirbulis and John,
who were married on June 21, 2008,
in her hometown of Grosse Pointe
Shores, Mich. Nora Brooks Hard ’93
was the matron of honor, and several
Saint Mary’s grads were in attendance:
Jennifer Kacarab Holloran, Suzanne
Sanders Burzynski ’93, Mona Diegel
’91, Susan Murphy Harvath ’91, and
Heather Jackson Martin ’93. Brigid
is currently a principal engineer for
an environmental consulting firm
working with the Air Force, Army
Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard,
and the National Guard. She and John
live in Grosse Pointe Shores.
Jan Campbell Borgmeier and
Dan welcomed their fifth child, Adam
Dennis, on June 5, 2008. Adam was
welcomed home by his siblings:
Madeline, Ben, Becca, and Annie. The
Borgmeier family lives in Rochester,
Minn.
Beth Caponigro Buckley and
Neil live in Hoboken, N.J., with their
three sons. Along with their parents,
brothers Shay and Nick welcomed
James Vincent on Feb.18, 2008. Beth
and Sarah Burke Man headed to Lake
Geneva in the fall for the wedding of
Stephanie Tight ’91. Sarah and her
husband, Gabe, live in Maplewood,
N.J., with their three children.
Annie Hartzel Olsen and Chris live
in the Twin Cities with their adorable
daughter, Maria.
Amy Carlisle Keating and James
welcomed Ainsley Bridget on May
24, 2008. Amy works part-time doing
physical therapy for Sundance Rehab.
Kathy Benz Jackoboice and Otis
ND ’92 are enjoying life in Savannah,
Ga. They and their two daughters will
eventually return to Grand Rapids,
Mich., but are happy to avoid winter in
the Midwest.
Maureen Lowry Fritz and Don ND
’92 live in Naperville, Ill., with their four
children: twins Tess and Nolan, Danny,
and Ike. Maureen founded and runs
a special education law consulting
practice.
Christine Penote Rogers and Tim
ND ’92 live in Dallas with their two
kids, Burke and Stella. Tim is executive
editor at D Magazine; Christine is
an account director at a PR agency
overseeing non-profit arts, culture, and
education clients, working four days
a week.
Annie Lopez Kiperman and her
family moved to Chicago in August
2007 just in time for the start of school.
They are living in Hinsdale, just a few
blocks away from her sister, Maria
Lopez Honan ’84. The kids have
made lots of friends and, fortunately,
love the snow. Hannah is now in the
second grade, and Nico is in pre-K. The
family was back on campus for the
ND/Purdue game, and the kids loved
the campus and tailgating. They also
got together with Lisa Kosty Dincolo
’91 and Maureen Nicknish Goldin
’91—Annie’s old neighbors from Holy
Cross Hall.
Lisa Scott Coe and Dan moved
to Shanghai in August after living in
Singapore for eight years. Dan’s job
with Coca-Cola brought the Coe family
to Asia. They are slowly adjusting to
life in China, as it can be challenging
some days. Knowing Mandarin is an
advantage, so Lisa is taking a class to
learn some basics just to get by. Lisa
and Dan have three children: Patrick,
10, Cate, 8, and Ryan, 7.
Annie Martin Flynn and John ND
’92 have relocated from Naperville, Ill.,
to Menomonee Falls, Wisc. They and
their five kids are slowly adapting to
life there.
Finally, I have to apologize for
missing the last column. Our move
in July 2008 from Rochester, Minn.,
to Baltimore was very overwhelming,
but we all have settled nicely into our
new routine. After so many moves in
the last ten years, I hope this is the last
move that I will complain about. We
were so very happy to see so many
college friends and their families in
Baltimore for the ND/Navy football
game—those friends included Erica
Riehm Howley and Shelly Plesco
O’Brien. If you have a chance, please
send me an e-mail with your news or
get onto Facebook and reconnect with
so many of our classmates. Hope to
hear from you soon!
Michaeline Feldman Barnes writes:
My husband, Lee, and I are proud to
announce the arrival of our seventh
child, our sixth daughter: Jillian Sidney
Barnes, born Dec. 5, 2008. She was
welcomed home by Nicole, 13, Lee
Jr., 11, Lauren, 9, Kathryn, 7, Caroline,
6, and Jennifer, 4. Jillian is wonderful
and has settled into our busy family
perfectly. We are so blessed, and the
kids adore her.
I am keeping busy taking care of
our children, helping my husband
with his software consulting business,
coaching my kids’ volleyball and
basketball teams, and being a hockey,
baseball, and softball mom on the
sidelines. There is rarely any downtime,
but we wouldn’t have it any other
way. Thanks for sharing our news!
’94
Jane Murphy Fitzgerald
598 Washington Street
Emhurst, IL 60126-4347
(630) 993-0777
janemfitzgerald@hotmail.com
From the Courier Office: Erin
Peter Wolf writes: “My husband
Jacob and I are happy to announce
the birth of Samuel Joseph on Oct.
13, 2008. I am a nurse practitioner
at a cardiology office affiliated with
Ohio State University in Marysville,
Ohio. We live in Dublin, Ohio.”
’96
Julie A. Steinke
1039 E. Main Street
Troy, OH 45373
(937) 205-0265
smcalumnae96@yahoo.com
Hello, classmates! I hope that this
update finds everyone doing well! As
usual, I have a plethora of information
to report.
Starting with myself: It was an
eventful 2008 highlighted by an
eight-week trip abroad. Five of those
weeks were spent in Ireland, with
the last three spent making my way
toward Italy. The adventures were all
part of my new plan, which included
leaving the field of college athletics
and returning to school to pursue a
PhD in industrial and organizational
psychology. And what better way to fill
the gap in between work and school
than to take a trip! Thanks to everyone
who e-mailed updates during my trip.
As I traveled alone it was great to have
the connection to familiar people
back home! All in all, I set foot in eight
countries and had the most amazing
time!
Shortly after my return, I found
myself out in Sacramento, Calif.,
with Mary Udovich Baginsky, E.
Chace Caven, and Laura Boeckman
Cauley to attend the Labor Day
weekend wedding of Stacia
Stornetta and Scott Morabito. The
wedding was beautiful and elegant
with the vineyards of the area in the
backdrop and Stacia sparkling just
as a bride should! In fact, everything
was perfect—from the hospitality
of Stacia’s mom and dad, Jackie
Banach Stornetta ’63 and Lou, to the
wonderful speeches given by Stacia’s
oldest friend, Julie Foster, and Scott’s
brother, Jordan. Stacia and Scott are
living in the Boston area.
Last September, I also had the
opportunity to meet up with fellow
SMC alumnae Beth Luedtke Petrie
and Madeline Wahl ’97 back in
South Bend as we cheered on the
Irish against Purdue and saw the
many changes that have occurred
on campus. Simone Barber Vecchio
also visited me in Ohio last October,
and Maddie even made a trip to visit
me for my birthday and help me to
ring in 2009 in style. All are doing well,
with Maddie and Simone still living in
Pittsburgh, and Beth and family living
in the Virginia Beach area. As always,
it’s truly wonderful to catch up with
old friends!
Speaking of old friends, Clare
Heekin Lynch accepted a new job in
September as a communication and
pursuits strategist for Ernst & Young in
Pittsburgh. It’s a huge change from the
health care world, but she loves the
new writing challenges the position
brings and the fact she can work from
home a couple of days a week.
Sheila Doran Shane and husband
Patrick have had a few additions
since their last update. On Feb. 24,
2006, Margaret “Maggie” Kimberly
was born in Landstuhl, Germany, and
most recently, on July 20, 2007, their
third daughter, Brigid Genevieve was
also born there. Big siblings Reilly
and Claire, 3, love the company! The
happy family now lives in Heidelberg,
Germany, but will be moving to
Minnesota when Patrick leaves the
Army.
Allison Gagliani Cherry and her
husband, Mike ND, MSA ’00, currently
live in La Grange, Ill., where they have
two active little boys, Owen, 4, and
Sean, 2, who keep them very busy! In
addition, Allison teaches Kindermusik
classes at Owen’s preschool and at
a local arts center. Colleen Murray
Kartychak and husband Rob
welcomed their first baby, Robert
James Kartychak, Jr. (“Bobby”), on
May 21, 2007. Beth VanTiem Nesbitt
and husband Garett welcomed
their first child, Holly Nesbitt, in
March 2007. They are having lots of
fun with her and feel very blessed.
Angela McNulty Bannon and
husband Greg had their third baby
on Dec, 28, 2007. William Christopher
Bannon is a beautiful addition to
the family! And, in more baby news,
Daniel Stephen was born on Jan. 14,
2008, to Mary Pence Walsh. He is a
welcomed little brother to proud big
sisters Abby and Lolly. Katie Rose
Hulett is currently enjoying being a
mom to Aiden, 1. Shane Kaniecki
Palumbo and husband, Robert, had
their first baby, Louisa Maria Palumbo,
on Aug. 11, 2008. The happy family
lives in Pittsburgh, Penn. Christine
Camara Thompson and husband
Jeff welcomed their first baby, Connor
Martin, in May 2008. And, just in
time for Christmas, Barbara Howells
Boukater delivered baby #2 in early
December: a future Belle named
Brooke Morgan.
Kelly Kilmer Mullagh is happy
to report that her husband, Kelly,
returned safely from Kandahar,
Afghanistan, on Oct. 7 after a sevenmonth military deployment. They
welcomed their daughter, Abigail
Louise, on Oct. 14. Kelly says, “While
Kelly cut it a little short this time
around, at least he was here for Abby’s
birth. Our son, Benjamin, is still trying
to figure things out with Daddy and a
new baby home, but all is well here in
Ottawa!” Kelly also reports that Stacey
Reding Sutter, husband Tom, and
daughter Sadie welcomed Tucker John
on Nov. 11, 2008, and all is well with
the Sutter family!
Ann Zielonka Wallin and
husband welcomed their daughter,
Ava Elizabeth, to their family. Their
twins, Grace and Charlie, celebrated
their second birthday last December.
Gretchen Weigel is godmother
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
39
classnews
to Grace. Gretchen and her sisters,
Jeanine Weigel Pickering ’99,
Colleen Weigel ’02, and Kristen
Weigel Schauger, are all wonderful
and very helpful babysitters when
Ann and Joel need an extra set of
hands—as three kids under the age of
two keeps them on their toes!
On the workfront, Paulette
Raczkowski-Baz has been promoted
to role of superintendent at Swanton
Local Schools after serving as the high
school principal and director of special
education. Lisa Siefert is now the HR
director for TD Securities in addition
to continuing as the fitness director
at Cheetah Gym in Chicago. Needless
to say, she’s super busy but loves it.
Lisa also mentioned meeting up in
NYC last spring for a small visit with
Jen Mahoney and Megan Maloney
O’Sullivan. She also passes on good
news in that Karen Gerlach and
husband welcomed a baby girl, Ginger,
to their family. Megan still lives in NYC
with her husband, John, and three
boys: Nyhan, 5, Ian, 3, and James, 19
months.
Michelle Kluth Shufelt married
Gregory Shufelt on June 10, 2006.
The couple had a beautiful reception
at Germania Place in Chicago’s Gold
Coast neighborhood. SMC attendees
included Amy Hiniker Robert,
Megan Reilly, Robin Walsh Bourjaily,
Gina Farrell O’Connor, Kimberly
Dehner Davis, Joanna Finegan
McDonough, Paulette Raczkowski
Baz, Kari Fantasia VanVuren,
and Julie Polek Hill. The couple
honeymooned in Greece and currently
resides in Chicago. Michelle is a
physical therapist at the Rehabilitation
Institute of Chicago. Amy Hiniker
Robert and husband Justin Robert ND
’96 welcomed babies Carolyn Helene
and Dylan William to their family on
Dec. 10, 2007. The couple is elated to
be parents of twins! Megan Reilly is
Dylan’s godmother. Amy is working
part time as a finance manager at
General Growth Properties in Chicago.
Megan is a director at CNA in Chicago.
Kelley Prosser was married in
Ireland in 2003 to Thomas McNamara
from County Mayo. Beth VanTiem
Nesbitt and Sara Stronczek
classnews
Sampson attended the wedding, and
Kelly’s sister, Jennifer Prosser ’00, was
maid of honor. Kelley resigned after
seven years as director of distance
learning for the School of Computer
Science at DePaul University and now
has two children: Eoin, 2, and Maeve, 5
months. Kelley was also kind enough
to let me stay in the family’s Ireland
home for part of my journey. I had a
great time meeting Thomas’ family
(thanks again, Kelley!).
Megan Bruchas Brunson was
married in February 2000 in Dallas,
Texas, to Keith Brunson. Shortly
thereafter they moved to Atlanta to
follow his job, and Megan worked
as an RN at St. Joseph Hospital of
Atlanta in the open heart CVICU. She
advanced to charge nurse of the 24bed unit. Although Megan loved the
job, the couple recently moved back
to Dallas (Frisco, Texas) to follow her
husband’s job. She currently works at
Medical City of Dallas as the night shift
supervisor of the CVICU. Megan and
Keith have two children: Maddy, 5, and
son Sam, 8 months old.
Mitzi McAndrews Neighbor and
husband Matthew welcomed their
fourth child, Deaglan John, on June
5. His siblings Dominic, Emeline, and
Daschel love him to pieces. Mitzi is still
working as a labor and delivery nurse
in Columbus, Ohio, and really enjoys
watching the miracle of life unfold
everyday! She also had a chance to
see Laura Boekman Cauley a couple
times while Laura and her triplets were
visiting Laura’s parents in the area.
Mitzi raved about how wonderful it
was to relax with their children and
catch up.
Jennifer Peterson ’97 sent the
following update: Molly Kelsey
married Brian Clayton of Grosse Ile,
Mich., on May 10, 2008, at St. Anne
Chapel on Grosse Ile. Molly was
attended by seven bridesmaids,
among them Jennifer Peterson ’97
and Tiffany Bowman-Allred ’98. Her
maid of honor was Erin O’Donnell,
and her matron of honor was Cheryl
Rockwell. Corinne Hanrahan ’97
also attended. The reception was
held at the Grosse Ile Yacht Club,
where delectable chocolate cupcakes,
Getting Married? Expecting?
We’d like to help you celebrate, but we
can’t print news about future weddings
or babies. When your plans become reality, please
let your class reporter or the Courier
office know, and we’ll gladly print
your news after the fact.
40
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
dancing, and celebrations were
enjoyed by all. The beautiful couple
honeymooned in Paris and currently
lives in Wyandotte with their daughter,
Victoria.
Whew! That’s a lot of great news!
Best wishes to everyone—have
an enjoyable summer!
’98
Lisa Coury
6804 E. 2nd Street #21
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(602) 796-8587
lisa@grazieitalia.com
Kate Votruba married Charlie Frey
on Sept. 27, 2008, at Old St. Patrick’s
Church in Chicago. Becky Jacobs
Dempsey was the matron of honor,
and Katie Drew was a bridesmaid.
Belles in attendance included: Mary
Jones Dalzell, Maureen Monahan
DeHond ’97, Stephanie PasasFarmer, Julie Fetch, Kathleen Finke,
Beth Renken Hancock ’95, Tricia
Tellmann Van De Ryt ND ’98 and Lisa
Coury.
Lori Allen Remington and
husband Alex Remington ND ’97 are
proud to announce the arrival of their
son, William Richard. Little William was
born on Aug. 1, 2008.
Arwen Dickey Moore married
Matthew Moore on May 3, 2008, in
Kansas City, Mo. Maid of honor was
Lara Dickey Lewis ND ’94. Bridesmaids
included Megan McMahon and Lori
Mrowka Cornell ND ’98. Other 1998
SMC alums in attendance were Kate
Brower, Nora Meany, Laura Meyers
Malec, and Rachel Torres Bell. Also in
attendance was Nicole Borda ND ’99.
On Oct. 30, 2007, Shannon Crunk
Hipp and husband, Tim ND ’95, ’96,
welcomed Flannery Jane. Now 13
months old and walking everywhere,
she loves to look at books and
magazines, especially the Courier!
Jessi Lentych Loyd is working as
the curator of education at the South
Bend Regional Museum of Art.
Audrey Linden Miller Price and
husband, Brian Price ND ’95, welcomed
their fourth child and third son, Teague
Eoin, on Sept. 3, 2008. He joins his
brothers, Cael and Sorin, and sister
Esmé. They are still living in Pittsfield,
Mass., and Audrey is loving being
home with her little brood!
Sara Nienaber VanSlambrook
loves working at a nonprofit
community development organization
in Indianapolis. She and Greg ND ’98
welcomed their son, Elijah David, in
May 2007.
Eleanor Casella Loebl and
husband Don Loebl, Jr., ND ’98, and
their son, Donny, welcomed Carol
Elizabeth Loebl into their family in April
2008.
Meghan McNally Allison married
Scott Allison in Sept., 2008 at Saint
Michael’s Church in Chicago’s Old
Town. They had many Saint Mary’s
ladies in attendance to support
them: Anne Parente Taylor, Emily
Broussard Nash, Katie Diestelkamp
Huffman, Anne Geisler Nelson,
Laura Schachtrup Gonder, Jamie
McDonald Thomson, Chiara
Marcheschi Wrocinski, Carolyn
Lukas Rocchio, Cathy Lukas
Brookfield, Amy Junius ’90, Emily
Junius Harrison ’00, Kelly Meyer
Girsch, and Allison Holloway Altherr.
Right after their honeymoon, the
Allisons left Chicago and moved to
Atlanta for a new job opportunity for
Scott. Meghan was asked to launch
an office for her design firm in Atlanta.
They are looking forward to exploring
their new city as newlyweds.
Sarah Mullen Schwab and
husband, Carl ND ’99, welcomed a
baby girl, Katelyn, on Nov. 29, 2008.
She has been enjoying her time at
home with Katelyn and her older
sister, Anna, 2. They are still living in
Minneapolis.
Keri Ruscito Clavin and husband
Nick welcomed their baby boy,
Hudson Parker Clavin, on July 25, 2007.
Now that Hudson is a year old, Keri is
getting back to events and starting up
her own company, Clavin Kelly Events
(www.clavinkellyevents.com), focusing
on wedding and social events.
Lisa Budzynski Ezell married
Stephen Ezell in summer 2008. They
were married at Dahlgren Chapel
at Georgetown University. Donna
Mirandola was matron of honor, and
Angela Bill Bolton and Michelle
Ziemba were in attendance, along
with their husbands. Lisa is still living
in Washington, D.C., and working at
the Federalist Society. She finished her
master’s in public policy at George
Mason in 2006. In Fall 2008, Lisa had
dinner with Katie Brown Netto, her
husband, Anthony, and their little boy,
Charlie, in Baltimore when they were in
town for the Notre Dame game.
Rachael Sederberg Ferrell and
husband Dustin welcomed their
second child, Colin Joseph, on July
12, 2007. He joins his big sister, Emma
Catherine. They are living in Chicago.
Rachel is a stay-at-home mom and
loving it.
Lisa Gutilla has moved back to
Chicago.
Anna Antes Patterson and
husband Tommy welcomed their
beautiful son, Luke Thomas, in April
2008. Big sister, Siena, 2, loves having
a real, live baby to “play” with! Tommy
and Anna are doing well and having
fun chasing after their babies.
Genevieve Morrill was chosen the
Outstanding Young Alumna at SMC
Reunion over the summer, which she
considers a great honor considering
all her fabulous classmates! Genevieve
ran the Las Vegas half-marathon for
the second time and shaved five
minutes off her time from last year.
She’ll be doing a fourth half-marathon
in May 2009 at the 500 Festival in
Indianapolis.
Kimberly Jeselnick Gray and
husband Timothy had a baby girl,
Ainsley Elizabeth Gray, on Nov. 13,
2008. After 10 years living in Chicago,
Bridget Thomas Muckle and family
are moving to Chelsea, Mich., a small
town outside of Ann Arbor. Bridget’s
husband, Tim ND ’99, took a new job
as the director of testing services for
the American Association of Nurse
Anesthetists, and he will be working
remotely. Bridget is job hunting for
another nurse practitioner position but
plans to stay home for a little while to
help get their twin boys settled in to
preschool and small town life!
Sara Pluta Gibson has returned
to Washington, D.C., after spending a
year in Paris with her husband, Josh.
She is now working as the director
of development at a local homeless
service nonprofit called Miriam’s
Kitchen.
Tabitha Sobel Eden was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Commander, United States Navy, on
Oct. 1, 2008.
Mia Rinehold Datena organized
a tree dedication at SMC in honor
of Tara Mooney’s daughter, Katie,
who passed away in March 2008. The
tree dedication took place on Nov. 8,
2008, and it was really lovely. The tree
dedication was attended by Prof. Pat
Pierce (POSC), Addie Cashore ’70,
Brigid Coleman and her husband,
Eric Robben ND ’99, and their two
children, Megan McHugh ’97, Mia
Rinehold Datena, Carrie Minogue
Bloom, her husband Gordon Bloom,
and their three children, Martha
Moylan Kirby, Amber Jones Liu
and her husband, George Liu. They
dedicated a beautiful sweet gum tree
on the Alumnae Green, located just
off the walkway in between Regina
and Le Mans. Donations for the tree
were sent in from family, friends, and
alumnae from our class. Tara and
her husband, Joseph Thelin, were
very touched by the outpouring of
love they received. Tara had wanted
Katie to go to SMC some day—now
she feels as if part of her is there.
’00
Kimberly Martin Troy
14644 Stonington Court
Granger, IN 46530
(574) 271-8588
Ktroy52502@gmail.com
Angela Little Berg
3963 North Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46205
(317) 217-1158
Angela.berg@Micorp.com
Nicole Longar Lieber
37105 Deer Run
Solon, OH 44139-2503
(440) 542-9355
Nlieber13@yahoo.com
Merideth Drudge writes: “On May
10, 2008, I married Troy Drudge at
Little Flower Catholic Church here in
South Bend. My attendants included
my sister, Sheila Lax, and my former
roommates Laura Carroll DeBolt
and Katie Burns. Also at the wedding
were Mary DeKever, Jessica Alwood,
and Emily Parker Taylor ’01. It was
a beautiful day, and everyone had a
good time. Troy and I are now living
in South Bend, and believe it or
not, I’ve been working in the Saint
CAMPS
aT
P
H^d
Mary’s Department of Information
Technology since graduation. It’s a very
busy office, but I’m happy to be here!”
Robyn Chmielewski Albert
writes: “I married Mike Albert on Aug.
2, 2008. Bridesmaids and friends in
attendance were: Janet Horvath,
Andrea Bueno ’99, Megan Flaherty
Kogut, Sarah Shannon, Sara Cwidak
Kurzhal, and Ellie Wassenhove ’98.
The wedding was on Tiscornia Beach
in Saint Joseph, Mich. We could not
have asked for a more beautiful day!”
’02
Lori Sichtermann Seidler
155 Phingsten Road, #205
Deefield, IL 60015
(847) 405-4019
Lori_from_smc@yahoo.com
Katie Corsentino
1503 S. State St., Unit 505
Chicago, IL 60605
katiecorsentino@gmail.com
From Lori: Greetings, fellow ’02ers! After five successful years of class
reporting, Katie Rzepka has passed
the torch to me, Lori Sichtermann, to
continue her legacy of documenting
quality class news for our class. Well,
lucky for me, our class has nothing but
quality news to report! For example,
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Each July, Saint Mary’s College offers a variety of summer camps for talented young women interested in the arts,
athletics, and sciences. Summer camps present opportunities to experience Fine Arts Camp, Athletic Camps, and
Saint Mary’s Summer Academy.
Campers stay in Saint Mary’s residence halls which feature 24-hour supervision by our camp staff.
Class instruction is provided by Saint Mary’s faculty, varsity coaching staff, and area educators chosen for their
educational expertise and experience. Meals are prepared by Saint Mary’s College Food Services/Sodexo in our college
dining hall. For the health and safety of all our participants, the programs offer nursing services and security on campus.
Background checks are required for all of our staff employees and volunteers.
Fine Arts Camp - July 12-17, 19-24, 26-31
Athletic Camps - July 12-16, 19-23
Summer Academy - July 12-17, 19-24, 26-31
For more information visit saintmarys.edu/camps.
COURIER
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Spring 2009
41
classnews
in June 2008, Shannon Watts earned
a master’s degree in speech-language
pathology from Nova Southeastern
University, Davie, Fla. She reports now
from Stuart, Fla., where she works as a
speech-language pathologist for the
public schools.
Coincidently, Jamie Norton
Trailov earned a master’s degree in
speech-language pathology from
Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.,
and is working as a speech therapist
at Children’s Memorial Hospital in
Chicago. Additionally, Jamie married
Jason Trailov on July 12, 2008. Fellow
’02 alums Colleen Collins Marrs and
Michele Oliverio Grabenstein served
as bridesmaids.
Rachel Deer is living in Charlotte,
N.C., and works as an assistant principal
at Bethel Elementary School and
coaches a junior Olympic volleyball
team. This past March, Rachel and
Erica Burket, who lives in Austin and
works as a nurse anesthetist, traveled
to Chile and Argentina, where they
visited Lauren O’Neil.
Since the SMC friends’ visit,
Lauren O’Neil has returned to the
United States after completing the
Notre Dame-Chile ACE program. She
lived in Ecuador for two months and
studied Spanish, then continued on
to Santiago, Chile, where she taught
from October 2007 to December 2008.
Lauren earned an English-as-a-New
Language certificate and plans to
pursue her doctorate in linguistics and
second language acquisition. She now
lives in Portland, Ore.
Christina Holdvogt received a
master’s degree in higher education
administration from Boston College.
She’s currently living in Chicago and
works as an academic advisor for the
Liautaud Graduate School of Business
at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Christina also reports that she traveled
to Argentina, Jordan, Israel, and the
West Bank, and looks forward to more
globetrotting throughout 2009.
On the subject of globetrotting,
Erin McGarry enjoyed seeing the
sights in Eastern Europe last summer,
particularly those in Budapest and
Prague. Erin continues her work as a
senior speech pathologist at Gottlieb
Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill. She’s also
accomplished a lot of R&R (reading
and running) lately as a member of the
monthly SMC Chicago East Book Club
and as a participant in the Chicago
Marathon last fall.
Christina Tatay Brecht recently
obtained her master’s degree in special
education from Indiana University,
Bloomington, Ind. Christina and her
husband TJ ND ’01 live in South Bend,
Ind., where she works as a sixth-grade
teacher.
42
COURIER
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Spring 2009
classnews
Cara Dunbar Kalogerov is
currently in her third year of podiatric
surgical residency, in Youngstown,
Ohio.
In the realm of holy matrimony,
Katie McIntyre and David Lesh were
united in marriage Sept. 15, 2007.
The two were married on a beach
in the Pocono Mountains. Katie and
David are living happily ever after in
McAlisterville, Pa.
Jackie Knier married Brad
Myers March 27, 2008. Brigid
Buhrfiend and Tracy Graf served as
bridesmaids. After a honeymoon in
Anguilla, the happy couple returned
home to Raleigh, N.C., where Jackie
works as a marketing coordinator
and Brad is the vice president of
marketing for the Carolina RailHawks, a
local men’s professional soccer team.
Kaitlin Duda and Bill King were
married May 31, 2008, and, Kaitlin
says, “the wedding was a dream.” The
couple honeymooned in France and
returned home to Madison, Wis., where
each is pursuing a PhD, she in French
and he in biomedical engineering.
“I married Kyle Pline on Oct. 4,
2008, in my hometown of Ravenna,
Mich., surrounded by many family
and friends,” writes Bonnie Arends.
The happy couple honeymooned
in Hawaii and returned home to
Ravenna, where Kyle works as a family
physician in nearby Muskegon, Mich.
Currently, Bonnie is looking forward
to completing her family medicine
residency in June 2009.
And the good news continues!
Trish Moore Hands reports from
Madison, Wis., where she’s working in
property management. In the summer
of 2008, she and her husband, Phil,
bought their first home, and on Nov. 4,
2008, they celebrated the birth of their
son, Owen.
Gina Caponi Parnaby and
husband Gary welcomed their first
child, Elizabeth Anne Grace Parnaby,
on July 16, 2008. In addition to being
a mother, Gina works at the Marist
School in Atlanta, teaching British
literature and composition.
Kristen Wojtas Berg and her
husband, Erik ND ’03, announce the
birth of their son, Leland John Berg, on
Oct. 5, 2008.
Amy Lazzarotto Nelson reports,
“We have much to be thankful for this
year!” She and her husband, Mike “Stu”
Nelson, welcomed James Michael
Nelson on Sept. 1, 2008. “He’s such a
joy and so much fun,” Amy writes.
Megan McCoy Parker and her
husband, Greg, welcomed their future
SMC alumna, Marin Abigail Parker,
June 21, 2008.
Christmas came early to Maria
Pilar Paulick Clark’s house this year as
she, husband Jeff, and newly instated
big brother, William Mateo, joyfully
welcomed 9-pound, Winter Elena,
Nov. 11. And, as if plural children didn’t
keep her busy enough, Maria Pilar also
pens an original, must-have product
column called “Cosmotot” for Chicago
Baby. Additionally, she is a guest writer
at Mommy Track’d — the working
mother’s guide to managed chaos.
Katie Quiroz Tate and her
husband, Matt ND ’00, welcomed their
first son, Liam Matthew, into the world
May 13, 2008. According to Katie, “Little
Liam has brought much joy into our
lives.” Currently, the family resides in
Lexington, Ky., while Matt finishes his
radiation oncology residency.
Michelle Noto Titus and husband
Scott welcomed a baby girl, Sophie
Rae, May 30, 2008. The happy family
resides in Grand Rapids, Mich., where
Michelle is a pediatric nurse.
Adrian Kirby Reither, her
husband, Jonathon ND ’02, and
their son, Charles Jonathon, report
from Ann Arbor, Mich., where
Adrian currently works part-time as
a molecular biologist. Jonathon will
graduate from medical school at the
University of Michigan in March.
Michelle Nagle Lickteig is
working as an attorney and lobbyist in
Des Moines.
Stefanie Roth received her
master’s in education and is currently
in her fourth year teaching eighth
grade science for the Chicago Public
Schools on the Near West side. Meg
Deluca Wright and Erica Burket
visited Stefanie in the Windy City this
past summer, and the three had a blast
catching up.
Jessica Coulter recently moved
back to Chicago after living in
San Francisco. She is pursuing her
doctorate in psychology.
In February, Allison Doherty
McSherry received her MBA from
Indiana Tech, Fort Wayne, Ind. Currently
she’s working as constituent liaison for
Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN) of
the 3rd District in Indiana. She also is
the county coordinator for Kosciusko
and Whitley counties. The past election
proved fruitful for the McSherry
family as Allison’s husband, Jason, was
elected Kosciusko County Clerk. Their
daughter, Madelynn, 2, was on hand to
celebrate her dad’s big win!
Sunny O’Brien Shaw and her
husband Nick report from Woodstock,
Ga., where they live with their two
children, Ashley, 3, and Vinny, 1. Sunny
works part-time as a grant writer for
the recovery residence Hope Homes.
Shanna Conner Cronin and her
husband, Brendan, both serve in the
U.S. Army as attorneys in the Judge
Advocate General Corps. They were
deployed to Baghdad in spring 2007
as part of the surge, and Shanna was
redeployed in May 2008. She now
reports from Alexandria, Va., where
she’s working as the chief of criminal
law for Fort Belvoir and as a special
assistant United States Attorney for the
Eastern District of Virginia.
Tracy Graf was promoted to a
position within her company, Feld
Entertainment, that will allow her to
move to Denver in February.
Amy E. Kocis Weatherhead
celebrated five years at Northwestern
Bank in Traverse City, Mich. She also
has taken on the role of mentoring/
training employees bank-wide.
Jennifer Lacopo Matchett and
her husband, Charles, report from
South Bend. Since graduating from
SMC, Jennifer has been teaching in
Plymouth, Ind. at a Catholic school.
Holly James writes from Los
Angeles, where she works as the senior
paralegal and marketing director for
the L.A. branch of a San Francisco law
firm.
And now for me! My husband
James Seidler ND ’02, and I live in
Chicago and work as magazine editors.
2008 proved to be a busy 12 months
for us as we celebrated the (self )
publishing of James’ first book, FLYMF’s
Greatest Hits. I also volunteer at the
Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, where I
teach art to a group of talented (albeit
energetic) youngsters.
Thank you, everyone, for your
updates. Best wishes to you all, and
have a safe, relaxing, productive, and
sun-filled summer! I look forward to
hearing from each of you in the fall!
From Katie: Hello Class of 2002!
It’s been a while since I’ve written an
update, so I have lots to share from
2008.
Akmaral Omarova was accepted
into the two-year MBA program at
Harvard Business School and started
classes last September. While in the
states, she would love to meet up
with SMC friends. Please email her at
oakmaral@yahoo.com.
Mary Crawford Nolan left the
Chicago city life in September and is
now living in Canton, Ohio. Despite
having to leave all her SMC friends in
Chicago, she and husband Bill ND ’02
are getting adjusted to and loving life
in the suburbs. Mary now works as a
RN for Aultman Hospital.
Courtenay Lauer Taylor is still
living in snow-filled Alaska and loving
it. She and husband Rob are proud to
announce they have a new addition to
the Taylor family: James McGann, born
July 6, 2008. Court graduated from
nursing school in December and is
ready to get her nursing career going.
Janelle Picciano Jankowski
announced the birth on March 5, 2008,
of her daughter, Rylee Marie. Janelle
and husband Ryan are still living in
Ridgefield, Conn., but only for one
more year. Then their family will be off
to a new location to be determined
sometime in the fall.
Meghan Sirotek Miller and her
husband, Greg, welcomed Charles
“Charlie” Rex on Sept. 24, 2008. Charlie
arrived on his exact due date!
Lauren Bossy married Peter
Caruso in October of 2008. The
wedding was held in Chicago, and
attended by many Saint Mary’s
graduates, including bridesmaid Katie
O’Connell. After the wedding, Lauren
and Peter moved to the western
suburbs of Chicago in Clarendon Hills.
Liz Kocourek is very excited to
announce she married Brian Dunleavy,
a 2002 graduate of Georgetown. The
wedding was held in her hometown
of Edina, MN. Katie O’Connell, Erin
Weldon, and I were three of her ten
(yes, 10!) bridesmaids. Liz and Brian
moved to Connecticut following the
wedding.
Kelly Roberts Panzer is living in
the Indianapolis area and working
part-time for Alliance Home Health
Care doing marketing. She has been
keeping busy playing with her son,
Brien, 2, and spending time with her
husband, Matt ND ’02.
Lauren Macchia Solberg had her
first daughter, Julia Rose, on Sept. 24,
2007. Lauren took a year leave from
her duties as a merchandise planner at
Crate & Barrel to enjoy being a mom.
She writes, “I know I am a little late
with the news, but it has been a hectic
seven months adjusting to being a
mommy!”
Kristin Thompson Martin and her
husband, Daniel ND JD ’04, welcomed
their first child, Alexander James, into
the world on Aug. 25, 2007. Kristin has
decided to leave her teaching career
to stay at home with her new baby
and is loving every second!
Jessica Klink and Sara Duffy
continue to teach together at Alcott
Elementary School in the Lincoln Park
neighborhood of Chicago. Last year,
they had the opportunity to represent
their school at the conference of the
National Association for Professional
Development Schools in Orlando, Fla.
Jessica is also working on her National
Board certification for teaching.
Katie O’Connell reports that she
recently accepted a director position
with a boutique consulting firm in
Chicago, AArete LLC. They are focused
on strategic sourcing and operational
improvement, and she is always
looking for new clients. (katieocon@
gmail.com.) Katie is also working on
completing her MBA through Notre
Dame’s Executive MBA program in
Chicago and is looking forward to
graduation in May. In April, Katie
is meeting up with Mary Hermes
and making a two-week long trip to
Zambia in Southern Africa. Katie and
Mary will be visiting Mary’s sister, who
does relief work for Catholic Relief
Services there. Mary recently moved
to the lower east side of Manhattan
and works as a senior media buyer for
GroupM Motion.
As for me, last year I left my job at
Davis & Hosfield Consulting for the
exciting world of market research.
I am a project director for Ipsos, a
worldwide market research firm. I
work in the marketing division, and
spend most of my time on new
product innovation research studies.
I’m also halfway through my MBA
at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of
Management and thoroughly enjoying
my classes and all the new friends I’ve
made in the program!
There are so many of you I haven’t
heard from in years. Please e-mail me
at katiecorsentino@gmail.com with
your updates. We would love to hear
what you’re up to!
From the Courier Office: Katie
Miller Quinn writes: I married Sean
Quinn of Chicago on Sept. 29, 2007,
at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus,
Ohio. We could not have asked for
a more beautiful wedding day and
were blessed to celebrate with our
wonderful friends and family. Kerry
Gill was my maid of honor. My
bridesmaids included Erin Roberts
Davidson, Megan Keleher, Tracey
Quinn, Laura Stevens, Jenny
Wejman ’99, Erin Quinn ’04, Beth
Quinn ND ’06, and Mary Miller ’11. I
was also honored to have Saint Mary’s
alumnae in attendance: Michelle
Chandler, Muffy Grant, Kate
Lapinski, Marlee Seiler, and Brianne
Bibbs ’06. We live in Chicago where
we have just purchased a condo in
Sheridan Park.”
Jennifer Wyatt Bennett writes:
“I married Matthew John Bennett, a
Purdue graduate, on May 24, 2008, in
Fort Wayne, Ind. Our guests included
Anne Conrad, Brooke Wagner
Desapio, Erin Bush Gennuso, Abigail
Stahoviak McLoughlin, Siobhan
Murphy, Brooke Verbosky Steines,
Jamie Mortens Ervin, Jennifer Rea,
Candace Reilly, Tracy Silvey, Mary
Brennan Stiers, Kara Tirimacco,
Danielle Kraft Meyer ’04, and
Jennifer Wagner Kleber ’04.
Amanda Schomas Soderstrom
writes: “I married Daniel Soderstrom on
Oct. 11, 2008, at Saint Vincent de Paul
Church in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Ill.
Fortunately, several Saint Mary’s ladies
Explore Poland
Sponsored by the Saint Mary’s Alumnae Association in partnership with the
University of Notre Dame Alumni Association Travel Program.
The Legacy of Pope John Paul II
July 11–18, 2009
$1,649 per person, plus airfare
Enjoy a week in Pope John Paul’s Poland. Start in Warsaw with guided sightseeing
featuring the Cathedral of St. John and the Warsaw Ghetto, followed by an excursion
to Niepokalanow and its Franciscan Friary, founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe. In
Czestochowa, visit the Shrine and the famous Black Madonna, an image and devotion
Pope John Paul II held very close to his heart throughout his life. Visit the remains of
the former concentration camp in Auschwitz, as well as the Martyrdom Museum and
St. Maximilian Kolbe’s cell. Next is Krakow, the city where Pope John Paul II served
as archbishop. Guided sightseeing includes Wawel Castle, St. Mary’s Church, and the
world-famous Shrine of Divine Mercy. Also enjoy an excursion to the Pope’s hometown
of Wadowice. Visit his birthplace and boyhood home, as well as Kalwaria Zebrzydowska,
one of Poland’s most famous shrines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Please note, the Ireland trip scheduled for June 19–27, 2009, has been cancelled.
For more information
about these trips, visit:
saintmarys.edu/alumnae-travel
COURIER
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Spring 2009
43
classnews
classnews
Starting with the back left in the blue dress we have: Sarah Robinson,
Marcia McDonnell, Allie Greene, Kate Fenlon, Caitlyn Flanagan, and Jackie
Sias. In the front row beginning with the blonde in the blue sweater from
left to right are: Katie Thompson, Emily Matus, Meg Schmitt, and Anna
Fricano. We graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2008 and gathered for our first
reunion in Chicago for New Year’s!
were able to attend the wedding: Amy
Modic, Connie Williams O’Connell,
Kelly Armbrecht Perry, Amy
Lazzorotto Nelson, Meghan Meyer,
and Kelly Leonard, who was my maid
of honor. We met while studying at
DePaul University—my program was
a master’s in writing and Daniel’s was
law. We live in Chicago’s Lincoln Park.
’04
Kathryn Harrison
2501 Liberty Ave. 1-A
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
724-991-5600
harr4732@yahoo.com
Kymberly Dunlap
Birmingham, MI 48009
Kdunlap1@att.net
From Kathyn: Reunion
for the Class of 2004 is quickly
approaching. I cannot wait to see
everyone this summer! Thank you
for continuing to send me your
updates. Congratulations on all of the
wonderful news that keeps coming!
I am currently living in Pittsburgh. I
graduated from Duquesne Law in May
and recently passed the Pennsylvania
bar. I clerk in the Federal District Court
in Pittsburgh, alongside my friend from
both SMC and Duquesne Law, Carolyn
Batz ’05. Ellen Burns also graduated
from Duquesne Law with Carey and
me and passed the Pennsylvania bar.
We are all three lucky to be involved in
44
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
the great alumnae club we have here
in Pittsburgh. It gives us the chance
to work with and socialize with many
wonderful Saint Mary’s women from
many class years.
Emily Spore married Jim Lowder
ND ’04 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Saint Mary’s
women in attendance at Emily and
Jim’s wedding were her sister and
maid of honor, Bridget Spore ’08, her
mother, Mary Beth Roitz Spore ’79,
Heather Hammond, Rachel Waldron
’03, Kate Hartman Rozenszweig, and
Maura Murphy. Emily and Jim live
in Chicago. She works as a manager
in the pediatric intensive care unit
at Children’s Memorial Hospital in
Chicago and is finishing her PhD in
nursing research at the University of
Illinois at Chicago.
Maura Frailey Barth wrote that
she married Christopher Barth on
Aug.16, 2008, at the Church of Loretto
at SMC. There were 28 SMC alumnae in
attendance, ranging from the Class of
1946 to the Class of 2006! Participating
in the wedding were: Amanda Beldin
Douglas, Terri Niemeier Dwyer,
Maggie Wurst , Katie Weiss Sebesta,
and Shaun Russell ’03. Others in
attendance from the Class of ’04
were: Abby VanVlerah, Courtney
King, Erin Quinn, Becky Dalsin,
Mary Braun, Becky Gindelberger,
Colleen Campbell, Amanda Wishin,
and Jennifer Bachtel. From other
classes were: Mary Buehl ’06, Sarah
Borkowski ’06, Angie Battista Penn
’01, Colleen Borkowski Fontaine ’01,
Kathleen Fisher Leppert, Jennifer
Johnson Barth ’74, Mary Kay
Conaty Leicht ’74, Sharon Brown
Sobolewski ’74, Susan Murphy
Janko ’74, Anne Faherty ’73, Joanne
Alban Amenta, Joann Frailey Heap
’75, Rooney Frailey Russell ’73, and
Margaret Kirby Frailey ’46.
Becca Doll recently moved to
Chicago and is living in Lincoln Park.
She is the coordinator at Tiffany and
Co. on Michigan Ave. (I think we
should take a class field trip to see
her!) She wrote that Carrie Freeman
is learning the family business, and
Kristin Hansen recently took a job
at translations.com. Stella Barruita
Coomes sent me several updates. “My
husband, Mark Coomes ND ’03, and
I have been living in Providence, R.I.,
for five years. I have been working as a
school social worker at an international
school, and Mark has been finishing up
his medical school program at Brown
University. Now, after it is starting to
feel like home, we will be moving in
June to another location for Mark’s
medical residency program. We will
be finding out later this month on the
exact location. Regardless of where
we end up, we have made some
wonderful memories here in the east
coast, including having both of our
daughters born in Rhode Island. Elena,
our oldest, will be 2 in April and our
newest addition, Cecilia, was just born
Dec. 19.”
Danielle Kraft Meyer and her
husband, Andy, recently bought
a house in Kettering, Ohio. They
have two boys, Brady, nearly 3, and
Austin, nearly 1. Annmarie Marquez
Villegas recently had a new addition
to her family, as well. She and
husband Zeke welcomed Jonah in
December. Other children are Ezekial,
3, Annalise, 1. Annmarie also works
doing commercials for Lithia Corp.
throughout the western states.
Hannah McDiffett Finch married
Jonathan Finch ND MBA ’07 on Aug.
8, 2008, in Hannah’s hometown
of Anchorage. In September, they
moved from Chicago to Seattle, where
Jonathan is a strategy consultant, and
Hannah has started her own graphic
design business called Colorbutton.
Abby Van Vlerah sent me a few
updates, as well. She is now living on
the lake in Angola, Ind., working at
Trine University. She writes that she
and Joan Muecke traveled to Ireland
together in July. They had a blast
and had the chance to meet up with
friends they met while living in Rome.
Joan recently began volunteering
with Mission Honduras. She will be
moving there in January for three to
six months. Abby attended Melissa
Knauss’ wedding to Andy Wood this
past summer. Melissa and Andy are
living in Rochester Hills, Mich. Manda
Wishin also finished law school and is
practicing in St. Joseph, Mich.
Vanessa Hetrick Friedman wrote:
“My husband, Matt ND ’04, and I just
moved to Chicago in June. He is a
first-year resident at Northwestern/
Children’s Memorial Hospital. We’re
enjoying the city and are very excited
to be living closer to friends and
family...our dog Bella (yes, after SMC)
loves it here, too. Now that we’re in
the city, we get together with Molly
Mulvihill Sundby and her husband,
Ryan ND ’04, all the time.”
Jeanne Berger is working and
living in New York City. She is a
financial adviser for JP Morgan Chase.
My SMC-Pittsburgh friend, Emily
Welsh, has left me for New York City
as well! She is in Cohort 16 of the New
York City Teaching Fellows Program.
She is living in Brooklyn and teaches
sixth grade special education. She
writes that Mary Watrobka was
married in June 2008 to Mark Albrecht.
Mary lives in northern Indiana and is
teaching at an all-boys’ high school in
Chicago. Carrie Freeman is living in
Chicago and working for her family’s
financial firm. Jaclyn Thompson
moved to New York City to dance
professionally with a modern dance
company after spending last year as
the interim dance department head at
Saint Mary’s.
Frances Bruder moved back to
Colorado and is doing marketing for
a chemical distribution company. She
writes that she was back in South
Bend for Michelle Winter’s wedding.
Michelle married Kevin McCall ND ’04
on Nov. 8, 2008. Sara Mahoney wrote:
“I am currently working at Georgetown
University as the learning skills
specialist in the Academic Resource
Center. I work with students with
disabilities and all students who need
academic assistance related to study
skills, etc. I just started this job back in
July. I am still living in Fairfax, Va.”
From Kim: As I write our class
update right now, it’s a week into the
2009 New Year. I’m now beginning
to realize what “older” people mean
when they say that time flies by. Our
five-year reunion is just months away,
and I sincerely hope each of you will
attend it. In the meantime, here is just
a glimpse of a few changes that have
occurred in the past year.
On a misty Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008,
Elizabeth Ruth Jablonski-Diehl
married Captain Jeffrey Michael
Newcamp ND ’04 at the Cathedral
of Christ the King in Atlanta, Ga.
Maureen Russell played trumpet
during the evening ceremony. The
reception was held at the Georgian
Ballroom at the Biltmore. Elizabeth
wore her maternal grandmother’s
wedding gown, a dress also worn by
her mother, Mary Grace Diehl, at her
1977 wedding to Michael Jablonski.
Bridesmaids and former Saint Mary’s
classmates included myself, Kathryn
Harrison, and Nicole Haeberle
Laubacher. Also attending the
wedding were Amanda Garno and
Sarah Catherine White ’05. Elizabeth
and Jeff now reside at Edwards Air
Force Base in Edwards, Calif. Jeff
attends the United States Air Force Test
Pilot School. Elizabeth graduated from
Emory Law School in May ’08 and is
currently working as a public relations
specialist at NASA Dryden.
Jennifer Gilbride Wernig and her
husband reside in Annapolis, Md, while
he finishes his current assignment
with the Navy: teaching at the Naval
Academy. They recently welcomed
their first baby, Madeline Paige Wernig,
on their one-year wedding anniversary,
Oct. 20, 2008!
Maggie Garigliano Busam and
Luke Busam, ND ’04 welcomed their
first child, Joshua Gabriel Busam on
Nov. 5, 2008. Maggie enjoys staying
home with Josh. The family currently
resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.
As for myself, I had the wonderful
opportunity to dust off my passport
during the past year. Plante Moran
exported me to France, Belgium, Spain,
Germany, and Austria throughout the
year, and I now consider Europe my
home away from home. In between
travel adventures, my incredible
boyfriend, Darin, and I kayaked,
snowmobiled, and skied in northern
Michigan.
Please remember to keep in touch,
live well, laugh often, and love much.
Life is too short not to!
From the Courier Office: Jessica
Millanes writes, “I am currently back
in Iraq on my second tour. I am
the officer in charge of the Lioness
program for the Marine Corps. I train
female Marines to be members of
female search teams, which give the
Marine Corps the capability to search
female Iraqis at entry control points
and interact with the female Iraqi
population. I enjoy my job very much,
and it has been a very rewarding
opportunity. I have worked with our
Iraqi counterparts and have met
many of the women and children of
Iraq. I have been impressed at their
progress since my last tour, and I am
hopeful for their future. Some Iraqi
women have said our equal role
alongside our brother Marines has
given them something to look up to.”
’08
Cate Leone Cetta
1201 N. Fillmore St., T 701
Arlington, VA 22201
catherine.cetta@gmail.com
Natalie Elizabeth Grasso
1201 N. Fillmore St., T 701
Arlington, VA 22201
natgrass@gmail.com
From Cate Leone Cetta: I hope
all of you are happy and healthy, and
totally shocked that it has been almost
a year since we graduated! Natalie and
I have since moved to the D.C. area
and are loving life. I attend American
University, getting an M.A. in broadcast
journalism and interning for NBC’s
Today Show at the Washington Bureau.
The ability to cover the election and
inauguration with NBC has been a
great experience, plus rubbing elbows
with Matt Lauer and Luke Russert
hasn’t been too shabby either. Please,
please send us updates on all your
happenings. Thanks!
In November, Connie Walsh,
who also lives in D.C., and I drove up
to Baltimore for the ND/Navy game
and spent the weekend with Jenn
McLean, Corey Duff, and Megan
Staley. It was great to be back
together and tailgating!
Jenn lives in Philadelphia, where
she is receiving her master’s in social
work at the University of Pennsylvania.
Corey lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., where
she works as the executive marketing
assistant for WorldDealer, Inc.
Megan, who lives in Kettering,
Ohio, reports that she enjoys attending
graduate school at the University
of Dayton; however, it is impossible
to replace Saint Mary’s. She is also a
full-time nanny for Jennifer Mathile
Prikkel’s ’95 three lovely children.
To ring in the New Year, Mary
Bridget Fearon hosted Nora Casey,
Megan Staley, Sarah Griffin, Allison
Fleece, Audrey Ballinger, Renee
DiNovo ’06, Jenny Wolff, ’06 and me
at her apartment in Chicago.
Mary attends Loyola University
Chicago, where she is working
toward two masters’ in the school of
psychology. Nora lives in New York
City and works for FOX Broadcasting
Company as a sales assistant in the
national promotions department.
Sarah lives in the Chicago area and
works in the assurance and advisory
business services division of Ernst
and Young. She reports that currently
her favorite song is “Tom’s Diner” by
Suzanne Vega—it’s catchy, you’ll love
it! Allison lives in Germany, where she
works for Adidas in the global footwear
marketing department. She enjoyed a
great trip to the States for the holidays,
catching up with family and friends.
Audrey recently moved to Colorado
Springs, Col. where she interns for
the U.S. Olympics Committee. She
reports making a smooth transition
back to “dorm life,” but has to adjust
to the city’s 7,000 feet above sea level
elevation.
During the week we also met up
with Mary Esler. She lives in Southfield,
Mich., and works on media relations
for Microsoft at Airfoil Public Relations.
Some members of our New Year’s
group also saw Abby Hinchy and
report that she is doing well.
From Natalie Elizabeth
Grasso: Most of the news in this first
edition has been made in Chicago.
I flew in from D.C. on Halloween to
attend Kate Holloway and Brooke
Trudeau’s housewarming/Hallows Eve
soiree—“Eat, Drink, and Be Scary.” Kate
and Brooke live together in Lincoln
Park. Erin Hogan and Caitlin McGee
stopped by and agreed it ought to
become an annual event.
Brooke reports that she is loving
every minute of teaching second
grade at Seward Academy, a Chicago
public school on the South Side. She
busies herself after school bartending
at Mad River. Kate works as a nurse
in the intensive care unit at St. Mary
of Nazareth Hospital. Elizabeth
Bush, Erin Hogan, Colleen Kielty,
and Shawn Redington also live in
Chicago. Colleen began working for
Deloitte Tax LLP in July and so far, she
reports, so good. She spends a lot of
time at the office, but six months in,
she’s beginning to understand the
world of public accounting a little
better. Over Thanksgiving she traveled
abroad with two of her sisters to visit
her third sister, who was studying
in Segovia, Spain. She commented
that it made her miss her college
days, especially her own time abroad.
Shawn works as a site director at the
Bolingbrook Y.M.C.A.; Elizabeth is a
first-year student at Illinois College of
Optometry; and Erin works as a nurse
in the pediatric surgical heart unit at
Hope Children’s Hospital. She loves the
life made possible by three to four day
work weeks, and is currently “looking
to pick up some extracurriculars.”
Meagan Walerko spent a
weekend in Washington this past
summer, helping ease my transition to
the new apartment. She’s currently in
South Carolina, where she’ll graduate
from Adjutant General school in
February. Next is Airborne school in
Georgia for about a month. There, she
reports, she’ll “learn how to jump out
of airplanes.” Then she’s off to Seoul,
Korea, at the end of March for one to
two years.
Alexandra MacPherson and
I work only a few blocks from one
another, she at the Corcoran Gallery
of Art and I at a law firm on K Street.
This makes spontaneous Saint Mary’s
happy hours especially convenient.
At the time of publication, she was
wondering if she’ll survive the three
inaugural balls being hosted at the
Corcoran. She works as a special
events coordinator at the gallery and
lives on Capitol Hill.
I’m learning a lot at Wiley Rein,
where I work as a project assistant with
attorneys in the firm’s communications
litigation practice group. Along with
work, I mentor at Thurgood Marshall
Academy, a law-themed public
charter high school in D.C.’s Anacostia
neighborhood. The post-collegiate life
has been an adjustment, but Cate and
I have both taken well to Washington.
Here’s to a bright and cheerful
spring. We look forward to hearing
from you, and hope you’ll be in touch
should you find yourself in the Capital
City. All the best!
COURIER
|
Spring 2009
45
Periodical
110 Le Mans Hall
Notre Dame, IN
46556-5001
Recognize anyone?
This picture from the Cushwa-Leighton Library is undated. If you have any information
regarding this picture, please contact the editor at courier@saintmarys.edu.

09001 SMC courier SP09 v5.indd

Transcription

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